Leadership

Karen Hughes, President

Karen J. Hughes is a life-long Arkansan and Little Rock native. Her only years away from Little Rock were her four years at the University of Arkansas earning a degree in Psychology. During summers at home from college, Hughes worked at a local insurance company where she turned down a full-time employment opportunity to pursue a law school career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

While still in law school, Hughes was hired as a law clerk at Laser Law Firm. She graduated from law school in 1989 and was hired full-time as an insurance defense litigation attorney. Hughes practiced with Laser Law Firm for 15 years until she joined several of its former partners at Watts, Donovan & Tilley, PA in 2004. Hughes carried on her practice there until joining Smith, Williams & Meeks, LLP in the summer of 2013. In the summer of 2018, she became a partner and the firm became Smith, Williams, Hughes & Meeks, LLP.

In early 2020, Hughes was hired to bring her insurance background and litigation experience to Rainwater Holt & Sexton where she uses that experience to fight for injured Arkansans. Hughes is married to her high school sweetheart, enjoys all things Arkansas Razorbacks, as well as spending time with her family, children, and grandchildren. Hughes is excited and energized to be working in cases involving motor vehicle accidents with such a great group of experienced attorneys. “I look forward to representing injured clients and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many Arkansans for years to come…” said Hughes.

Vincent Chadick, President Elect

Vince Chadick maintains a commercial law practice, representing corporate, public, and individual clients in matters of litigation and regulatory compliance. Mr. Chadick has appeared before state and federal courts, and administrative agencies, in at least six states and the District of Columbia; and has handled in excess of 50 trials (including more than 20 jury trials). He has also argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the Arkansas Supreme Court. Over the past two decades, Mr. Chadick has litigated a range of matters, from single-plaintiff personal injury to complex consumer class actions; local governmental tax disputes to multinational arbitration; and, business piracy to toxic tort.  He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is listed with The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Agriculture Law and with Super Lawyers in Business/Corporate.

Mr. Chadick also provides counsel to clients, including agribusinesses, on a variety of prospective issues beyond the context of litigation, including operational, production, and transportation matters implicating federal and state statutes and regulations, in particular the PSA and PACA.

Mr. Chadick obtained his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1993.  He also has a Master of Laws degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law Graduate Program. Mr. Chadick received an A.B. from Georgetown University in 1991.

Mr. Chadick is licensed to practice law in Arkansas and Oklahoma.  He is a member (and past president) of the Board of Directors of the Eighth Circuit Bar Association and formerly served two terms on the Arkansas Civil Practice Committee by appointment of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. In complement to his private law practice, Mr. Chadick has acted as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Caley Vo, Treasurer

Caley Vo defends businesses, medical care providers, insurers, and their insureds in cases of negligence, professional liability, products liability, automobile liability (defective product and breach of warranty claims), and commercial litigation (construction and real estate disputes).

Vo’s more recent experience includes:

• Trial counsel for an attorney in a professional liability case involving tax advice.
• Trial counsel for an individual in an automobile liability case.
• Lead Counsel for a commercial vehicle insurer in a wrongful death case.
• Lead Counsel for an individual in a breach of contract case for the construction of real property.
• Counsel for a major automobile corporation in a wrongful death case.

Recognition

Vo was named as the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney for 2008 – 2009 by Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc.

He has been recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” in the area of Personal Injury General Defense.