Timothy Hughes to Serve as William & Mary Law School’s Commencement Speaker in May
Timothy Hughes, William & Mary Law School Class of 1997, will deliver the commencement address at the Law School’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 17 at Kaplan Arena, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Degrees will be awarded to approximately 213 students in the J.D. and LL.M. programs. Seating is limited to graduates and their guests. 
Mr. Hughes is the Senior Vice President of Global Business & Government Affairs at SpaceX. He joined SpaceX in 2005 as its first General Counsel, establishing the company's legal and government affairs functions. He currently leads SpaceX and Starlink business efforts for the civil and national security space markets, as well as legislative and regulatory affairs, both in the United States and abroad.
Before SpaceX, Hughes served as Majority Counsel to the Committee on Science and Technology in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he drafted the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004. Prior to attending William & Mary Law School, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.
Hughes most recently visited the Law School in October 2024, when he met with students and discussed his nearly 20-year tenure at SpaceX, emerging space technologies, and the laws and regulations governing space activities. He also shared helpful career advice that suggested students become experts in a specific industry while also perfecting their legal skills to enhance marketability.
Hughes later met with Moot Court students, sharing insights about space laws and advising on their oral arguments for future competitions.