Timothy R. Hughes is a shareholder with Bean, Kinney & Korman who serves as trusted outside counsel to a wide range of nonprofit organizations, associations, and mission-driven entities. He advises nonprofit leaders and boards on corporate governance, bylaws, compliance, and policy development, bringing both legal insight and practical experience from his extensive experience representing such clients and his own personal service as an officer and director on numerous nonprofit boards.
Tim’s practice is distinguished by his ability to guide nonprofits through complex operational and legal challenges from formation and governance best practices to strategic decision-making and risk management. He partners closely with executive directors and board members to ensure organizations remain compliant, sustainable, and positioned to advance their missions effectively. Tim excels at synthesizing and translating complex materials and information into actionable decisions. Tim understands the need to balance different stakeholder groups and to assist in tailoring legal advice and solutions towards developing leadership consensus.
In addition to his extensive nonprofit work, Tim represents clients in the construction, real estate, and general business sectors, handling both transactional matters and disputes. He began his career in litigation and alternative dispute resolution, and he continues to bring that term experience to his role as outside general counsel, where he negotiates sophisticated contracts and assists in the resolution of complex business issues and decisions.
Tim’s clients include nonprofit organizations, associations, educational institutions, government contractors, private businesses, and professional service firms, reflecting the breadth of his practice and his ability to deliver practical, business-focused solutions across industries.
Known for his responsive and client-centered approach, Tim is committed to delivering first class client service and helping clients navigate change, manage risk, and achieve long-term success.
Service Areas
- • Business and Financial Services
- • Entity Formation and Structuring
- • Start Up Advice
- • Business Planning
- • Nonprofit/ Exempt Organizations
- • Contracts
- • Employment Law
- • Employment Litigation
- • Handbooks and Policies
- • Wage and Hour Compliance
- • Intellectual Property
- • Trademark
- • Copyright
- • Litigation
- • Business and Corporate Litigation
- • Construction Litigation
- • Construction
- • Construction Contracts
- • Risk Management
- • Real Estate
- • Commercial Real Estate Transactions
- • Land Use & Zoning
- • Community Process, Appeals, and Litigation
Experience
- Acted as lead outside general counsel for a private university. Work included managing employment, regulatory, risk management, and contract negotiations efforts.
- Acted as lead counsel for regional entity on significant trademark enforcement measures, including multiple pieces of successful trademark enforcement litigation.
- Acted as outside general counsel for multiple non-profit entities and associations; developed policies, bylaws, and provided governance advice; provided employment and risk management advice.
- Represented significant regional/national commercial and mixed-use developer in drafting complete suite of construction and architectural form agreements for use on large scale construction and development projects.
- Represented a payment bond clamant in a highly complex delay and equitable adjustment claim arising from a power plant. The case resulted in two national first impression decisions on AIA bond claims. Ultimately the claimant, Casey Industrial, resolved the case.
- Represented Parex, an EIS manufacturer, on all their products liability cases throughout Virginia. The cases resulted ultimately in a favorable Supreme Court of Virginia opinion establishing law on the economic loss rule.
Reported Cases
- Bindra v. Michael Bowman & Assocs., Inc. 58 Va. Cir. 47 (2002) View PDF
- Casey Indus. v. Seaboard Sur. Co., No. 1:06cv249, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22519 at *1 (E.D. Va. Apr. 20, 2006) View PDF
- D.C. McClain, Inc. v. Arlington County, 249 Va. 131 (1995) View PDF
- Pulte Home Corp. v. Parex, Inc., 265 Va. 518 (2003) View PDF
Bar & Court Admissions
- Virginia, 1991
- District of Columbia, 1992
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Virginia Supreme Court
- D.C. Superior Court
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Education
- Marshall-Wythe School of Law, College of William and Mary, J.D., 1991
- Yale University, B.A., 1988
Awards & Affiliations
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America in Construction Law and Litigation – Construction, 2012-2026 and Arbitration and Mediation, 2024-2026
- Arlington Magazine, Top Attorney – Construction, 2019, 2025, Construction, Nonprofit, 2021-2024
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Leader in the Law, 2010
- Virginia Super Lawyers in Construction Litigation, 2012-2014, 2017-2026
- Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers in Construction Litigation, 2013-2014, 2019-2026
- Virginia Business Legal Elite in Construction, 2010-2011, 2013, 2015-2018, 2020-2025
- AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Professional Affiliations
- Virginia State Bar (Board, Construction Law and Public Contracts Section, 1994 – 2006; Chair, 2004-2005)
- Arlington County Bar Association
- Fairfax Bar Association
- Arlington Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors, 2007 – 2016; Chair, 2014)
- Leadership Arlington (Board of Regents, 2011 – June 2017; July 2108-present; Chair-Elect, 2014-2015; Chair, 2015 – 2016)
- Reston Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors, 2011 – 2014; Community Engagement Committee Co-Chair, 2012 – 2014)
- Phoenix House of the Mid-Atlantic (Board of Directors, 2006 – 2013, Vice Chair 2010 – 2013)
- Associated Builders and Contractors – Virginia Chapter
- American Institutes of Architects
Blogs
Videos
News & Publications
Events
Recent Highlights
Blog Post
Employment Law Landmines for Federal Contractors
Event
Nonprofit Forum
Video
The BKK Beat, Episode 27: Employment and IP Law in the News
News / Publication
2026 Super Lawyers
Blog Post
What is Worrying Our Nonprofit Clients – Part III: Staffing and Talent
Event
On Board
Video
The BKK Beat, Episode 26: Employment and IP Law in the News
News / Publication
