James J. "Jim" Hughes III - Lawyer in Columbus, OH

Jim Hughes is a partner in Bricker Eckler's Litigation group and represents clients in complex commercial litigation matters, including health care and environmental litigation. His practice also includes developmental disabilities law with an emphasis on Medicaid litigation. His litigation experience includes recovering $6 million in an action against the Ohio Department of Education in a matter involving calculation of state foundation funding for public school systems — Cincinnati City School District v. State Board of Education, 2008 Ohio 1434, obtaining a favorable decision on attorney fee application arising out of same case — Cincinnati City School District v. State Board of Education, 2008 Ohio 2845, and recovering $7.2 million on behalf of Dayton City School District in matter involving calculation of state foundation funding. He has defended Verizon Wireless in an action brought to enjoin the construction of cellular communications tower.

Other accomplishments include a favorable decision for a beer manufacturer following a jury trial in a matter involving a business valuation of a beer distributing franchise under the Ohio Alcoholic Beverage Franchise Act? Bonbright v. InBev USA, a successful defense against a TRO seeking to enjoin the actions of a client engaged in the business of providing reinsurance coverage for automobile extended warranty products, secured a decision, affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, for a client against a contract manufacturer for misappropriation of trade secrets relating to a proprietary formula used to manufacture professional grade hair color products, Amalgamated Industries v. Tressa, 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 11905, prevailing in a trial in favor of a municipal water company in a trespass action brought against a surface mining company to enjoin mining activities that caused the sudden interruption and depletion of the municipalitys water supply? Village of Byesville v. Northshore Coal, 2003 Ohio 4118.

Jim also serves as the firm's administrative partner and is the legal advisor to the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities and as lead trial counsel for local county boards in Thompson v. Hayes, 2006 Ohio App. LEXIS 5940, in defense of an action brought by private providers and the Ohio Providers Resource Association seeking to eliminate the provision in Ohio law requiring service contracts between county boards and private providers. He was also trial counsel to county boards and individual taxpayers in Zimmerman v. ODJFS to enjoin ODJFS administrative rules that set reimbursement rates in excess of the provider's usual and customary rate.