Barbara S. Hughes is a partner with the firm.  Her practice emphasizes estate planning (including disability trusts), probate and trust administration, marital property, and elder law.  She received her undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Chicago (1964, 1968) and her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School (1986).

Ms. Hughes is a past director, past chair and continuing advisor of the Elder Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin.  She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Dane County Bar Association, the Madison Estate Council (a past director), the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (a 2003-07 director), and the Special Needs Alliance (www.specialneedsalliance.org), a national by-invitation only nonprofit organization of special needs attorneys.  She has lectured and written for the State Bar and other legal education organizations on various marital property and probate topics, supplemental needs trusts, Medical Assistance, and ethical issues, on elder and disability issues in family law for the Special Needs Alliance, NAELA and the State Bar, and on the education power of attorney as a transition-to-adulthood tool for the Special Needs Alliance.

She is author of a chapter entitled "Special Ethical Considerations" in Advising Older Clients and Their Families, Vol.1 (State Bar of Wisconsin); co-author of "Planning with Special Needs Youth Upon Reaching Majority: Education and Other Powers of Attorney" (2005 article in the NAELA Journal, a national law review journal); other articles on the interplay of Medical Assistance, marital property, probate and family rights areas of law and on estate planning at the time of divorce; and an article entitled "Helping Your High-Functioning Child Transition to Adulthood" in the May 2008 issue of EP (Exceptional Parent) magazine (www.eparent.com).

Her pro bono service includes long term intensive work on task forces and committees to reform and modernize the Wisconsin guardianship statutes and to create the WisPACT, Inc. pooled and community trusts for Wisconsin individuals with disabilities.  In 2009, she was honored by being named a Fellow of NAELA, in recognition of her commitment to NAELA and to the rights of older and disabled people (www.naela.org).

Ms. Hughes is also active in the community, serving on boards and committees at Luther Memorial Church and on the Oakwood Village Long Range Planning Committee, which she chaired during the years Oakwood built Covenant Oaks (dementia care) and the Oakwood East Campus.

Email: bhughes@hill-law-firm.com
Phone: (608)244-1354