Tracy L. Hughes

Tracy Hughes was born and raised in the small farm town Palo, Iowa. During high school, she enjoyed participating on a nationally recognized debate team as well as the mock trial team. She was recruited to join the University of Redlands debate team, which brought her to Southern California. With a passion for the art of argument and persuasion, she had always wanted to be a litigator.

Tracy joined the firm in April 2006. Her practice is focused on general liability litigation defense with an emphasis on construction-related injuries, premise and product liability. She also has considerable experience in Unruh and Bane Act discrimination claims and appellate work. Tracy has also handled numerous cases on behalf of public entities, many involving Government Code section 4216 claims.

In 2009, Tracy and her partner, Gary Hoffman, successfully defended their clients in a partnership dissolution and breach of fiduciary duty matter subject to binding arbitration. In addition, they were able to prevail on their clients' cross-claims and secured a judgment in the amount of $775,310.38. In 2010, after a 7-week trial in Riverside Superior Court, Tracy and Mr. Hoffman obtained a defense verdict on behalf of their four clients in a case involving product liability, premise liability and dangerous condition of public property. Tracy has also prevailed on numerous summary judgment motions involving fatal and catastrophic injuries.

Tracy graduated, with honors, from the University of Redlands in 2000 with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Race and Ethnic Studies. She obtained her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Whittier Law School in 2004.

Representing some of her most important work, Tracy has been actively involved in dog rescue groups since 2005 and currently operates her own non-profit animal rescue organization, Southern California Animal Rescue. She and her husband have fostered over 200 rescue dogs and have helped place them with new, forever homes. She has five of her own rescue dogs and has trained for three half-marathons with them to raise money for rescue. Tracy's dogs are an integral part of who she is and feels that they keep her active and inspired.

Professional Associations:

• Orange County Bar Association

• Los Angeles County Bar Association

• Association of California Defense Counsel