Edward R. Hugo
Founding Partner
Edward R. Hugo
Founding Partner
Mr. Hugo is a trial attorney, appellate lawyer, litigator and litigation manager for cases involving products and premises liability, toxic torts, environmental claims, construction defect, personal injury, wrongful death, insurance, professional negligence, sexual molestation and criminal law. He has also been retained as an expert witness and testified in trial, arbitration and deposition regarding: the duties of defense counsel, the effectiveness of defense strategies, the reasonableness of settlement values and defense costs, and insurance coverage issues.
He gained his initial trial experience as a criminal prosecutor with the San Francisco District Attorney’s office where he held the highest court room ability rating in each of his assignments. Mr. Hugo left that office as a Senior Trial Attorney after trying more than 75 felony trials and 40 Municipal Court jury trials. He was undefeated in all Superior Court jury and bench trials.
Mr. Hugo is designated trial counsel for several corporations in defense of products liability and toxic tort claims and has successfully tried to complete defense verdict scores of asbestos lawsuits.
He has served as a Superior Court Judge pro tempore and a member of the Bench/Bar Settlement Program. He regularly lectures in the areas of mass tort, environmental and products liability, and trial and deposition skills.
He is a Certified Civil Trial Specialist, accredited by the State Bar of California; a “Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate,” National Board of Trial Advocacy; a “Board Certified Civil Pretrial Practice Advocate,” National Board of Trial Advocacy; Charter Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America; Charter Member, Institute of Trial Presentation; Member, Rue Ratings’ Best Attorneys of America; Member, The American College of Board Certified Attorneys; “Super Lawyer” Northern California, 17 consecutive years; Member, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Nations Top One Percent; and “AV” Martindale-Hubbell rated.
Admissions
State Bar of California
State Bar of Colorado
State Bar of Hawaii
State Bar of Oregon
State Bar of Washington
United States Supreme Court
United States District Court, Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern District of California
United States District Courts of Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuit
Education
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Juris Doctor, 1986
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts – Economics, 1982
Publications
Edward R. Hugo, Bina Ghanaat’s “The Devil is in the Dose II”, DRI The Brief Case (January 2024)
Edward R. Hugo, Bina Ghanaat, “Voir Diring For Dollars,” DRI The Brief Case (September 2023)
Edward R. Hugo, Bina Ghanaat, “Voir Dire for Dollars,” HarrisMartin (July 2023)
Edward R. Hugo, Bina Ghanaat, “Shopping For Preference In California,” HarrisMartin (June 2023)
Edward R. Hugo “Virtual Voir Dire Is Driving Me Crazy”, Litigation Commentary & Review (April 2023
Edward R. Hugo, Bina Ghanaat, “The Big Problems With Mini-Openings,” HarrisMartin (April 2023)
Edward Hugo, “CLOSING ARGUMENT: The Case Against Virtual Trials,” Super Lawyers (July 2021)
Edward R. Hugo, Christina M. Glezakos and Bina Ghanaat, “Civil Jury Trials in the Time of COVID-19,” Daily Journal (August 14, 2020)
Edward R. Hugo, Christina M. Glezakos and Bina Ghanaat, “A Commentary: Trial by Trial and Error,” HarrisMartin (August 19, 2020)
Edward R. Hugo, Christina M. Glezakos and Bina Ghanaat, “The Rush to Justice During a Pandemic,” Mealey’s Litigation Report: Asbestos (September 23, 2020)
Presentations
Edward R. Hugo, Christina M. Glezakos and Bina Ghanaat, Webinar: “Virtual Trial – Real Problems,” LCA (April 8, 2021)
Edward R. Hugo, Christina M. Glezakos and Bina Ghanaat, “Virtual Voir Dire – Real Error,” LCA Litigation Commentary & Review (June 15, 2021)
Edward R. Hugo and Bina Ghanaat, “Statutory Changes and Emerging Trends in Asbestos Litigation,” Mealey’s Litigation Report: Asbestos (January 26, 2022)
Edward R. Hugo and Bina Ghanaat, “Does ‘No’ Mean ‘No’?,” Mealey’s Litigation Report: Asbestos (June 8, 2022)
Edward R. Hugo and Bina Ghanaat, “The Big Problems with Mini-Openings,” HarrisMartin (April 2023)
Edward R. Hugo and Bina Ghanaat, “Shopping for Preference in California,” HarrisMartin (June 2023)
