James B. Hughes, Jr., associate dean for academic affairs at Emory University School of Law, has been appointed interim dean of the school.

Hughes replaces Judson Graves, appointed in June of this year, who has stepped down from the post for personal reasons.

“Jim Hughes is a proven leader who has been part of the Emory Law community for 25 years,” says Dwight A. McBride, Emory provost and executive vice president of academic affairs. “His extensive leadership experience, ties to the Atlanta community, and devotion to the law school and to Emory will be tremendous assets in this time of transition as we prepare ourselves to identify a new dean to lead Emory Law into its second century.”

Before joining the Emory Law faculty in 1992, Hughes was a partner in the Atlanta firm of Trotter, Smith & Jacobs, where he practiced in commercial real estate finance and development and related areas of law.  

At Emory, he teaches courses in property, real estate sales and finance, and professional responsibility. Hughes has been selected as the Most Outstanding Professor by the Emory Student Bar Association (2002) and Professor of the Year by the Black Law Student Association (2005). In addition to serving as associate dean for academic affairs at the school (2002-2006) and (2014 to present), Hughes has served as vice dean of Emory Law. His extensive service to the Emory community includes serving in the University Senate, University Faculty Council, and numerous law school and university committees.

Hughes has served on the State Bar of Georgia’s Formal Advisory Opinion Board (1999-2014) and on the board of directors of the City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority (member, 2007-present; chairman of the board, 2011-2014). He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Connecticut and a J.D. degree from Yale University School of Law, where he was an Earl Warren Legal Training Fund Scholar. He is a member of the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta Bar Association, and Gate City Bar Association.