Founding partner J. Marshall Hughes is, first and foremost, a lawyer dedicated to bettering the firm he helped start. However, he’s also a businessman, farmer and hunter. A graduate of Western Kentucky University, J. Marshall’s roots in the Kentucky and Tennessee area run deep. J. Marshall earned his B.A. from Western Kentucky University. After obtaining his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law, he returned to Bowling Green and in 1985 he helped found Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers.
Throughout the years, J. Marshall has won millions for clients and his credentials speak volumes. He’s been given the Top 10 Attorney Award by the National Academy of PI Attorneys as well as the Top 100 Trial Attorney by the National Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, American Judicature Society, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and Kentucky Justice Association.
It has always been a long-standing mission of J. Marshall’s to make the communities around him a better place. After all, he knows that it is not just his clients that are part of the Hughes & Coleman family – it is the members of his communities too. This is why he has helped found several non-profit organizations aimed at increasing safety awareness and saving lives. He co-founded Kids Are Special®, a program aimed at protecting and encouraging children in our communities to practice safe habits. It promotes the fingerprinting of children for identification purposes and encourages bicycle safety through the sale of certified bike helmets for a fraction of the typical cost. He also serves as an avid supporter of the Butler County Boys & Girls Club, an organization that provides programs, resources and assistance to children and teens.
J. Marshall also co-founded Arrive Alive, a program aimed at bringing awareness to children in the south central Kentucky area about the dangers of driving or riding with someone under the influence of alcohol. It encourages teens and parents to sign a pledge not to drink and drive.
Outside of Hughes & Coleman, J. Marshall enjoys spending time with his wife, Judith Given Hughes, as well as their two children and three grandchildren. He enjoys hunting and fishing and is a member of the North American Hunting Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Rifle Association, National Parks and Conservation Association and the National Geographic Society. He is also a black belt in karate.

- Western Kentucky University, B.A.
- Indiana University School of Law, Juris Doctor
- State Bar of Kentucky
- State Bar of Tennessee
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Nations Top One Percent
- Lawyers of Distinction, Top 10% of Lawyers in the USA