Member Spotlight: Chris Hughes, Business Law Section

For Chris Hughes, leadership in the Business Law Section is about more than titles; it’s about creating opportunities for collaboration, education, and policy impact. We caught up with Chris to learn about his path into business law, the challenges shaping the field, and what’s next for the Business Law Section.

Q: What’s your origin story – how did you decide to go into law, and how did you get into business law specifically?
So, initially, I wanted to practice civil liberties, primarily representing people with disabilities. That was my goal when I went into law school. But then I started taking courses—securities, securities litigation, intellectual property—and I found contracts to be one of my favorite classes. Surprisingly, I also really liked federal income tax.

Over time, I also started developing an interest in being both a trial attorney and an accomplished negotiator. That actually led me into bankruptcy law. Complex Chapter 11 bankruptcies can have four, five, six, sometimes seven different parties negotiating all at once with really complicated issues and competing goals. The idea of working in that kind of environment was very attractive to me. I liked the challenge of trying to come up with a solution that works for everybody, but also knowing that if we couldn’t get to the best negotiated result for my client, I could go into court and argue the case.

Q: What inspired you to get involved with the Business Law Section?
Two friends of mine told me I should get involved with the Insolvency Law Committee, which is one of the standing committees within the BLS. Based on their recommendation, I applied and became a member—it was a three-year term. Over time, I became the vice chair of legislation within the ILC, then co-vice chair, and eventually co-chair over about five years.

When I started, I really knew nothing about the BLS. I didn’t even know much about CLA. I was very insulated in the ILC. But once I became co-chair, it broadened my horizons. I started to see more of what the section and CLA as a whole were doing, and I thought, this is something I’d like to be a part of. So, as I was finishing up my co-chair term, I applied to be part of the larger section. I served as co-vice chair of the Programs Subcommittee, then vice chair of Standing Committees, and then was asked to be chair.

Q: What do you see as the most valuable benefit of serving on the Executive Committee?
The rewards are vast. You build a really strong network of people. That was true in the ILC, too—the folks I worked with there are still colleagues I rely on today. They’re the people I call when I run into an issue: Did you see this case? How are you handling this? That kind of peer network is invaluable.

But it’s not just about networking. You also get a chance to impact policy, to see things coming down the pipeline and weigh in. And then there are the educational opportunities—you’re still learning all the time, but you also get to be the one teaching, whether it’s through publications or programs. It’s an incredible chance to get your voice out there.

Q: Are there any upcoming projects, events, or initiatives you’re especially excited about?
We always have legislative initiatives in the works—affirmative legislative proposals that our members draft, debate, build consensus around, and then work with CLA’s lobbyists to move forward. Those sometimes turn into bills, and then laws. In fact, one was just signed by the Governor in June. That’s always exciting to me—legislation and being able to impact policy was one of the biggest draws for me to both the ILC and the BLS.

We also have the recently renamed Roland E. Brandel Lifetime Achievement Award, which we present every year at the CLA Annual Meeting. That’s always a highlight; we honor an incredible person who’s had a lifetime of accomplishments, and it’s a lot of fun hearing from all the speakers at that event. And this year we’ve got a really large incoming class of new BLS members, which means fresh perspectives and new energy. I think that’s going to be great for the section.

Q: What trends or challenges in business law should practitioners keep an eye on?
Keeping up with change. Things are happening in nanoseconds, and it can be overwhelming to try and stay on top of everything so we can advise clients appropriately. But at the same time, some of these new technologies might actually help us solve those challenges.

Q: AI always comes up as a hot topic. How do you think it will impact business law?
Artificial intelligence is probably the single most impactful technology for the future of law—but it comes with challenges.

AI is probably the biggest technology that’s going to affect us in the future—but it’s not without problems.

What I see is people tend to go through three phases: first, they know nothing about AI. Then suddenly, it’s magic—they think it can do everything. And then, once they realize it makes mistakes, they dismiss it completely. None of those are right.

I think it’s a fantastic tool if you use it the right way. But we’ve got to move past those extremes and learn how to apply it properly.

Q: How do you see the practice of business law evolving over the next few years?
There’s no way to predict. It’s like the difference between an old flip phone and an iPhone—you just couldn’t imagine back then that you’d be able to sit on a train and shop in China on your phone.

I’m old enough to remember life before the internet. At that time, the idea of doing research without going to a library was unthinkable. Now we can’t imagine life without it. I think AI is going to be similar.

Q: What advice would you give to newer attorneys interested in business law?
It’s a fascinating time to be an attorney. You don’t know where the ride is going to take you, but it’s going to be thrilling—with lots of ups and downs. Just be ready for anything.

We’re grateful to Chris for sharing his insights and for his leadership of the Business Law Section. With his vision and dedication, the section is poised for an exciting year ahead.