Home | Hughes

Family law is our expertise; you are our focus

About Us

Welcome to Hughes and Jackson, LLP an extraordinarily accomplished firm of family law practitioners based in Palm Desert, California. We handle a wide variety of cases designed to move you to the next phase of your life. Hughes and Jackson, LLP have represented literally thousands of men and women, including hundreds of professionals, including Attorneys, CPAs, Architects, Engineers, Real Estate Developers, Medical Practitioners, Politicians, Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, Public Company Executives, Sports and Entertainment figures and many, many more. No case is too complex and every case receives our full attention.

We provide the following services:

Child custody, visitation and move away cases
Highly complex financial structures
Litigation through judgment or settlement agreements
Breach of Fiduciary Duty cases
Same Sex Cases
Adoptions and Guardianships
Paternity
Domestic Violence Matters
Issues which arise after your divorce has completed, such as support modifications or custody modifications
Appeals

Hughes & Hughes and the Law Office of James A. Jackson merged on January 1, 2026. Between the two the practices have employed over 37 people, including 18 attorneys; this combination permitted the practice to handle more than 12,000 family law matters.

The practice is now based in the Coachella Valley with a Palm Desert office.

Visit our FAQs to explore some of the most common questions we are asked.

Discover More

Our Practice Areas

Practice Areas

Dissolution of Marriage

We understand how difficult it is to face the legal issues involved in ending a marriage. We handle your situation with compassion and sensitivity as we advise you of your options and help find the best solution for you.

Mediation

Mediation services are for clients who are interested in achieving settlement of their family law matters without the expense, delay, and acrimony associated with litigation. Mediation can most easily be understood as facilitated communications toward reaching an agreement.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence affects all types of American families. For four years, managing partner Lisa Hughes provided training and assistance for a non-profit organization dealing with family violence. Hughes and her colleagues can help survivors of domestic violence and those accused of domestic violence crimes get fair treatment in the legal system.

Paternity

Issues involving paternity extend far beyond determining biological fatherhood. In addition to ensuring that fathers carry out their financial responsibility, situations surrounding visitation, custody, same sex relationships, and the rights of unwed fathers can create complex legal issues. We help establish paternity and provide the services needed to protect the rights of parents while assuring that the children are protected.

Executive Divorce

The complex financial circumstances behind the income and estate of an executive adds significant complications to negotiations in an executive divorce. Our team includes a Certified Public Accountant, they understand the intricate accounting and financial practices typical to high-net worth individuals. We can guide executives or executive spouses through the divorce process, ensuring the results obtained are those needed to protect the entire family's financial future.

Forensic Investigations

One of the first steps in dissolving marriages involves detailing the financial status of each spouse. When either spouse does not accurately disclose all assets, even when the intentions were honest, legal sanctions and other expensive legal actions can occur. Hughes & Jackson, LLP has in-house financial expertise to help ensure that all financial details are accurately reported.

Custody/Visitation

While everyone wants to guarantee the best possible results for the children in a divorce, few divorce decisions are more emotional than deciding custody, visitation, and support issues. We recognize the devastating effects a drawn-out divorce can have on both parents and children. Our unique combination of expert understanding of custody law and personal experiences allows us to offer the compassionate legal support that brings the best results to everyone in the family.

Meet the Team

With decades of experience as family lawyers and a consistent record of excellence, the team at Hughes & Jackson, LLP are some of the most talented and recognized names in the field.

When you have to deal with some of the most emotionally-charged issues of your life, you need to choose a family law lawyer who combines exceptional legal knowledge with the true compassion that comes from experience.

Our team of family law attorneys is comprised of spouses, parents, and grandparents. The family law lawyers at Hughes & Jackson, LLP possess the life experience to empathetically handle your case, as well as the professional experience to aggressively advocate on your behalf.

The Attorneys of Hughes & Jackson, LLP have the experience and talent needed to go up against other family lawyers in complex court cases. Their consistent record of excellence has made Hughes & Jackson, LLP one of the most recognized family law firms in the area.

When you need a matrimonial lawyer, we bring additional value to our excellent compassionate support. Our partners combine their experience as Certified Public Accountants with their family law knowledge. This means we have an understanding of the financial issues associated with divorce that allows us to help ensure a fair settlement.

Hughes & Jackson, LLP is more than a team of family law lawyers. Each of our Attorneys combines exceptional family law knowledge with personal experience, putting you in the hands of a legal team with unsurpassed capabilities.

Paralegals, support staff, and trial assistants

The paralegals at Hughes & Jackson, LLP all share a common interest in the law and a zeal for helping others. Our paralegals work tirelessly with the utmost compassion and professionalism to restore our peace of mind to our clients.

Every family law lawyer in the firm of Hughes & Jackson, LLP recognizes that we owe our success in large part to the strong support of our administrative staff. The synergy that occurs within our staff creates a firm that is truly distinctive in meeting your family law needs.

Unique to Hughes & Jackson, LLP our trial assistants provide efficient support by organizing and presenting the necessary files and information our attorneys request for court proceedings. They also add a personalized approach by protecting and coordinating with clients as they navigate their way through sensitive family law matters that can escalate during trial.

Lisa Hughes

CFLS, CPA

As founding partner, Lisa Hughes' place is at the helm of the Hughes & Jackson, LLP family law practice. As both a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Certified Public Accountant for nearly 50 years, Mrs. Hughes excels in all areas of family law and is well-versed in the complex legal and financial issues facing today's families.

Learn More

James Jackson

Attorney at Law

With nearly four decades of courtroom experience, James A. Jackson has dedicated his career to navigating the complexities of Family Law with integrity and excellence. A Coachella Valley native and Navy veteran, Mr. Jackson brings a unique perspective to his practice, particularly when assisting military members with divorce and custody matters.

Learn More

Ira Liss

CFLS

Ira Liss has been practicing law in the Coachella Valley since 1994. Early on in his career he developed a passion for family law, especially cases involving child custody. Having been raised in a divorced family, Mr. Liss understands the devastating impact that divorce and other family law proceedings can have on families.

Learn More

Samantha Hughes

Attorney at Law

Born and raised into a family of C.P.A family law attorneys in Orange County, CA, Ms. Hughes often jokes that she has been practicing family law all of her life. While that’s not exactly true, Ms. Hughes does have a strong understanding of all phases of the family law practice, having started working in the filing department when she was very young.

Learn More

David Tennison

Managing Sr. Paralegal

David is a dedicated paralegal with a rich background in the legal field, starting his career in Fresno, California, at a collections law firm.

Learn More

Evelyn Duran

Sr. Paralegal

Evelyn began her legal career in 1987 in the Coachella Valley and in later years Los Angeles County, gaining extensive experience across multiple areas of law, with approximately 15 years focused specifically on Family Law.

Learn More

Brittany Spindel

Paralegal

Brittany's passion for the legal field began at an early age. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she would spend weekends and school breaks at her father's workers' compensation law office, helping with anything and everything that she could.

Learn More

Jacob Castaneda

Paralegal

Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, Jacob Castañeda developed a deep connection to the region's communities and a strong sense of commitment to advocacy and justice that continue to drive his pursuit of a career in law.

Learn More

Aimee Parris

Paralegal

Aimee was born and raised in Palm Springs; she brings both a deep connection to the Coachella Valley and a commitment to professional growth in the legal field.

Learn More

Shelley Lyons

Administrative Paralegal

From a young age Shelley always knew she would want to spend her life helping others. She grew up in Los Angeles and throughout her youth was involved in extracurriculars that focused on government and policy as well as volunteer work that would directly give back to her community.

Learn More

Amber Huynh

Administrative Assistant

Amber was born and raised in the High Desert and moved away from her family home at the age of 18 to pursue a higher education. In 2019, she graduated from UC Irvine with a bachelor's degree in psychology and social behavior.

Learn More

Hughes & Jackson, LLP Attorneys at Law

About Us

Our Practice Areas

Dissolution of Marriage

Mediation

Domestic Violence

Paternity

Executive Divorce

Forensic Investigations

Custody/Visitation

Meet the Team

Paralegals, support staff, and trial assistants

Hughes & Jackson, LLP
Attorneys at Law