Kelly Hart & Hallman announced June 15, 2021, that former Texas Secretary of State Ruth Ruggero Hughs joined the firm’s Austin office as a partner in its public law practice.

Hughs most recently served as the 113th Texas secretary of state, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 19, 2019. Prior to her appointment as secretary of state, Hughs served as chair and commissioner representing employers at the Texas Workforce Commission. There, she worked to foster opportunities for economic growth by partnering with the business community to provide employers with a variety of resources to expand their businesses. Hughs also previously served as the director of defense litigation at the Office of the Texas Attorney General, where she successfully managed and oversaw the civil litigation divisions representing agencies across the state. Before her tenure in public service, Hughs worked as a licensed attorney and was a small business owner.