Danielle Hughes

Katherine O’Brien Law

Danielle Hughes Personal Injury Lawyer

Katherine O’Brien Law

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Firm Summary

Danielle M. Hughes earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Pace University School of Law in 2001. During her time at Pace, she was a Dean’s Scholar, served on the Pace Law Review, and maintained a merit scholarship. She completed her biology and environmental science undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary.

With over 22 years of civil litigation experience, Danielle has developed a broad practice encompassing personal injury, premises liability, legal and medical malpractice defense, employment law, and expungements. Since starting expungement work in 2005, she has been dedicated to this area full-time since September 2019. Danielle also has extensive appellate practice experience, having prepared briefs and argued cases before the Appellate Division and the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Legal Accomplishments

• Admitted to Practice: State Courts of New York and New Jersey, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the Supreme Court of the United States (March 2023).
• Awards and Recognition:
  • Equal Justice Award Medal by Legal Services of New Jersey.
  • Major Contributor of Service by Legal Services of New Jersey.
  • Successfully argued and obtained a first-of-its-kind decision to expunge municipal ordinance violations under the Clean Slate Law (State v. R. O-S., 474 N.J. Super 87, App. Div 2021).
  • Successfully argued a landmark premises liability case before the NJ Supreme Court (J.H. v. R&M Tagliareni, 239 N.J. 198, 2019).

Specialized Expertise

Danielle specializes in obtaining expungements for individuals with complex criminal histories, early pathway expungements, and contested expungements. Her deep understanding of the law and commitment to her clients have resulted in numerous successful outcomes.

Hobbies and Interests

Danielle enjoys playing tennis, hiking, paddleboarding, and spending quality time with her family outside of her legal practice. These activities help her maintain a balanced and fulfilling life.

Personal Philosophy and Motivation

Danielle chose to specialize in expungement law because she believes in giving people a second chance and helping them move beyond their past mistakes. One memorable case involved handling an expungement pro bono for a young man whose low-level marijuana offense was preventing him from obtaining financial aid for art school. After successfully securing his expungement, he was able to pursue his dream. Later, he gifted Danielle a framed painting that hung in her office as a reminder of the importance of second chances.

Danielle believes her role as an expungement attorney is to clear her clients’ criminal records and restore their dignity, hope, and opportunities for success. By empowering clients to overcome barriers created by their past mistakes, she contributes to a more equitable and inclusive society.