On March 26, 2014 the United States Senate confirmed President Obama's nomination of PLAN Board Member Gerald A. HcHugh, Jr. as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. McHugh is currently a partner at Raynes McCarty in Philadelphia where he focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, including medical malpractice, unsafe products, aviation disasters, civil rights, and workplace accidents.

Mr. McHugh is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which limits its membership to 500 of the top trial attorneys from the United States, and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, which restricts membership to the most highly regarded trial attorneys in the country.

Mr. McHugh received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, where he was named a College Scholar, and was elected valedictorian of his class. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School with honors, where he served as an editor of the Law Review, and received the Benjamin Jones Award for Public Interest Service.

Following graduation, he served as law clerk to the Honorable Edmund B. Spaeth of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, and the Honorable Alfred L. Luongo of the United States District Court.

For the first 23 years of his career he practiced with the Litvin firm in Philadelphia, acquiring his courtroom skills from legendary trial lawyer S. Gerald Litvin.

In addition to his service on the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Board of Directors, he served three terms as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts Program (IOLTA), by appointment of the Supreme Court, generating funds to support civil legal services for the poor.

He also served as President of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the bar, and is a co-chair of Community Legal Services’ Equal Justice Fund, supporting the delivery of legal services to the indigent in Philadelphia.

Mr. McHugh is also one of the founders of Hospitality House of Philadelphia, a residential program for ex-offenders. He has been active in neighborhood affairs, leading anti-drug efforts and working to establish the Firehouse Farmers Market, an economic development project.

Throughout his career, Mr. McHugh has been the recipient of may awards for professional excellence and community service, including the Fidelity Award of the Philadelphia Bar Association; the Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award; the Leadership Award from Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network; the President's Award of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association; the Distinguished Child Advocate Award from the Support Center for Child Advocates; the Rosenberg Memorial Award from the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association; the Equal Justice Award from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia; and the Young Lawyers Community Service Award of the Philadelphia Bar Association.