Benjamin T. Hughes was born in Pensacola, Florida and grew up in Ripley, West Virginia. He attended WVU, receiving a B.A. in 1985 and his J.D. in 1989. After working briefly in Charleston upon graduation, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia to practice law at the defense litigation firm of Chambers, Mabry, McClelland and Brooks from 1990 to 1996. Ben participated in over a dozen jury trials in Georgia as sole lead counsel, in addition to participating in several other trials as second chair counsel. He has argued several cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals.
In 1997, Ben moved back to West Virginia and joined the law firm of Pullin, Knopf, Fowler and Flanagan. After a brief two year stint with the Staff Counsel office of the St. Paul Insurance Company, Ben returned to PFFP&B in 2002, where he has practiced ever since. He was named a Member of the firm in 2003. His trial experience has continued to grow over the years. He has now taken over 40 jury trials to verdict over his career. He also has experience as a mediator.
Ben resides in Scott Depot with his wife, Kara, and three children, Dylan, Eliana, and Rocco. He is active in his church, Elizabeth Memorial United Methodist Church, and is a bell ringer for the Salvation Army during the holidays. His other charitable activities include Habitat for Humanity, the National MS Society, and the Gabriel Project. His hobbies and interests include WVU sports, skiing, hunting, fishing, and golf.
- Current Employment Position(s):
- Member
- Areas of Practice:
- Personal Injury
- Premises Liability
- General Insurance Defense
- Products Liability
- State Government Law
- Municipal Law
- Insurance Bad Faith Litigation
- Construction Law
- Litigation Percentage:
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
- Bar Admissions:
- Georgia, 1990
- West Virginia, 1997
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1991
- U.S. District Court Southern District of West Virginia, 1997
- U.S. District Court Northern District of West Virginia, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1997
- Education:
- West Virginia University College of Law, Morgantown, West Virginia, 1989
J.D.
- West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 1985
B.A.
Major: History
- Representative Cases:
- Chadbrooke Ins. Co. v. Fowler, 426 S.E.2d 578 (Ga. 1992)
- Southern v. Sphere-Drake Ins. Co., 486 S.E.2d 674 (Ga. 1997)
- Strickland v. Brown, 487 S.E.2d 105 (Ga. 1997)
- Tambone v. Indiana Ins. Co., 493 S.E.2d 578 (Ga. 1997)
- State ex rel. Ward v. Hill, 489 S.E.2d 578 (W.Va. 1997)
- Modular Building Consultants v. Poerio, Inc., 774 S.E.2d 555 (W. Va. 2015)
- Representative Clients:
- Travelers Insurance Company
- Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Company
- Encova Insurance Company
- AIG Claim Services, Inc.
- WV Board of Risk & Insurance Management
- Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
- State Farm Insurance Company
- Sedgwick Claims Agency Insurance Company
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- West Virginia Bad Faith, 2004
- How to Take a Deposition, 2006
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- West Virginia State Bar
- State Bar of Georgia
- West Virginia Defense Research Institute
- Past Employment Positions:
- St. Paul Insurance Co., Staff Counsel, 2000 – 2002
- Pullin, Knopf, Fowler & Flanagan, Associate, 1997 – 2000
- Chambers, Mabry, McClelland & Brooks (Atlanta, GA), Associate, 1990 – 1996
- Goodwin & Goodwin, Charleston, West Virginia, Associate, 1989 – 1990
- Pro Bono Activities:
- Gabriel Project
- Salvation Army
- National MS Society
- Habitat For Humanity
- Birth Information:
- August 25, 1963, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America