David Hughes

MA, JD, LLM

David is a university instructor in the Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University, where he teaches first-year Torts and previously taught Employment Law, Advanced Advocacy, Dispute Resolution, and Privacy Law. In 2013, he designed and taught the first course in Information and Privacy Law at TRU Law with former British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner, David Loukidelis, KC. As a law student, David was awarded several prizes and articled under Len Marchand Jr. (now Chief Justice Marchand). After starting his practice as a civil litigator, he moved in-house to work for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation in various roles including senior legal counsel, director of privacy, and corporate secretary. In 2013 he left BCLC to co-found Forward Law LLP together with his wife, Alana. Since then, David has successfully advocated for clients at all levels of court in British Columbia, including in the following cases:

• Ascent Developments Corp. v Stonehenge Projects Inc., 2016 BCCA 287
• Hamilton v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2017 BCSC 1334
• Hamilton v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2019 BCCA 348

Today, his legal practice is focused on working with Indigenous peoples. Over course of the past decade, he has represented Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, Splatsin, Neskonlith, Xatśūll, and a number of other First Nations in BC and Alberta on a wide range of legal matters. His work includes creating and documenting new laws, establishing new business entities, negotiating benefit agreements with government and industry, acquiring land and interests in land, preparing commercial agreements, providing strategic advice to leadership, representing in litigation, and adjudicating election appeals.

Beyond his legal practice, David has been deeply involved in his community. As a lifelong football fan, he has caused Forward Law LLP to sponsor Kamloops United Football Club (and its predecessor) every year since 2013. He has also served in leadership roles as Chair of Habitat for Humanity Kamloops, and as Director of the Kamloops Food Bank, the Kamloops West Rotary Club, and the Southern Interior Construction Association. Most recently, he was appointed Governor of the Law Foundation of British Columbia (2024-2027).

David is currently pursuing an MSt in Practical Ethics at Oxford University where his work explores the intersection of private law, ethics, and legal philosophy.