About Hughes Law Offices

Andrew retired his defense litigator black hat in part, when he was asked a simple question by his son: Dad, do you help people at your work?

Heeding that call, and armed with a deep understanding of the subject matter, Andrew decided to focus his drive on helping railroad workers suffering from illnesses such as cancer and leukemia.

Hughes Law Offices was not founded as a general practice law firm. We don’t handle car accidents, wills and dog bites. We are here to serve the many railroad workers who endured years of exposures to diesel exhaust, asbestos, solvents, creosote, second-hand smoke and many other toxins found in the railroads’ shops, locomotives, yards and main lines.

Andrew is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he was a member of the Dean’s List and where he was awarded the Pro Bono Service Award for service to the community.

He is licensed to practice in Illinois and Missouri state courts. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois, and he is admitted to practice in the Wisconsin Federal District Courts.

Tom has worked in refineries, coal-fired power plants, and other commercial and industrial facilities and he appreciates that the employees and tradesmen make these places work.

Tom has spent the majority of his legal career working on cases involving pipefitters, mechanics, farmers, machinists, carpenters, boilermakers, bricklayers, insulators, electricians, millwrights, HVAC workers, sheet metal workers and roustabouts. As a result, he has a unique appreciation for the exposures endured by workers in numerous industries. Most of Tom’s previous cases involved plaintiffs diagnosed with asbestos-related conditions, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and certain digestive cancers.

After graduating from Northwestern University, Tom attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he was a member of the Dean’s List. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Chicago Bar Association.

Tom has always tried to find time to serve the community. He has received multiple awards related to his pro bono service, most recently for representing a prisoner in a civil rights matter. He is currently a board member of Cabrini Green Legal Aid, an organization that provides free legal work for people throughout Chicagoland.

Tom has a unique perspective on toxic tort justice because of his personal history: His dad was exposed to asbestos and other chemicals at work and was later diagnosed with cancer. After a long and painful fight, his dad died of cancer. Tom knows that a lawsuit brings little comfort to those left behind, but does believe that restoring financial stability and hope for the future is a powerful part of justice.