International law firm Addleshaw Goddard is delighted to announce the return of Disputes Partner Lee Hughes, who re-joins the firm as the latest strategic addition to its Global Investigations practice.

Hughes returns to Addleshaw Goddard from Lincoln House Chambers, following a successful tenure at the Bar. His broad and deep expertise spans criminal defence, inquests, public inquiries, professional disciplinary proceedings, transport regulation, and licensing.

His appointment further bolsters Addleshaw Goddard’s in-house advocacy capabilities, particularly in health & safety and environmental defence, while also unlocking new opportunities across the transport and healthcare sectors.

Hughes’s return follows closely on the heels of Steven Porter and his four-strong specialist team, who recently joined the firm to establish and lead Addleshaw Goddard’s new Tax Disputes and Investigations practice.

Together, these high-profile appointments reflect Addleshaw Goddard’s continued investment in deepening its specialist regulatory expertise and reaffirm the firm’s commitment to delivering high-quality services across a wide spectrum of contentious and advisory mandates.

Erin Shoesmith, Partner, Health & Safety, said: "We are delighted to have Lee rejoin the AG team. His exceptional expertise as both a solicitor and regulatory barrister brings a distinctive edge to our EHS practice. As highlighted by Legal 500, ‘Lee is excellent with clients, he is clear and straightforward in his advice, and he does not shy away from difficult conversations, and as a result, clients trust his judgement. He is always well prepared and grasps the detail and issues in his cases with ease, even in the most difficult cases, and he is not afraid to roll his sleeves up and get stuck into the case preparation.' This perfectly reflects the qualities Lee brings to our team, and we are thrilled to have him back."

Lee Hughes, Partner, Disputes, Global Investigations, said: "I’m very pleased to be returning to Addleshaw Goddard. After 8 successful years as a barrister, it’s time to come back and deploy my expertise in a different setting. Addleshaw Goddard has always had an exceptional client base and been involved in fascinating and high-profile work. The opportunity to return and build on that base, to provide new services to clients and to help achieve growth of both the team and the firm was too tempting to resist. I look forward to helping clients navigate complex challenges, deepening relationships, creating new opportunities for the firm and growing the EHS team.''