Jessica A. Hough, ’97, entered the University of Texas at Austin as an accounting major, initially thinking she would focus on tax. She even sat for the CPA exam. But a senior-year internship made her rethink her plans. “I liked tax, but I didn’t like the compliance aspect of it and doing tax returns,” she said. When she decided to apply to law schools to study tax law instead, UChicago Law was at the top of her list.

Today, Hough is at the top of her field as a tax partner at Skadden and the global head of the firm’s regulatory practices. She represents clients on a wide range of tax matters, advises in the financial services sector, and has extensive experience in the US and international insurance and reinsurance industries. She assumed leadership of Skadden’s Washington, DC, office in 2020, 14 years into her tenure as partner.

Hough’s exceptional career at Skadden began with a summer position at the firm while she was a student at the Law School. After graduating, she joined the firm full-time as an associate, leaving briefly to clerk in the US Tax Court.

She returned a year later. Since then, Hough has built an impressive career for herself at Skadden where she calls herself a “lifer.” Over her 26 years at the firm, she has advanced through leadership roles, gained national recognition, and received numerous honors and awards for her influence in tax law.

 “I really love Skadden,” she said. “So, when I’ve been presented with opportunities to lead, I’ve leapt at them, because I see them as opportunities to be able to make improvements to a place I care about.”

Beyond her leadership roles and client work, Hough has championed mentorship programs and affinity groups, seeking to bring positive change and diversity of thought to her environment. She has served in various affinity groups over the years, both in the firm and in the legal community, including Skadden’s LGBTQ and Black Lawyers for Diversity groups, and Skadden’s Women of Washington group.

“I really believe that when you have diversity of thought and perspective, you get to a better answer,” said Hough. “I think it’s important not just for law firms, but in general, to have diverse viewpoints represented. But I believe it’s something you have to actively strive for, so that is what I have always tried to do. I’m always trying to figure out a way to make my institution better and find ways to give back and help lift others up,” she said.

In that same spirit, Hough has been giving to the Law School for many years. And just this fall, she began giving in a different way: by serving as a member of the Law School Council, a committee made up of alumni and other legal professionals who provide advice and expert knowledge and perspective to the Law School.

“I attribute most of my success in law to my training at the University of Chicago,” said Hough, reflecting on why she chooses to give. “If I had gone to another law school, I think I still would have been successful, but not necessarily to this degree.” 

Looking back, however, Hough says that her Law School experience was somewhat challenging. A native of Texas, she said she was severely ill-prepared for Chicago winters. She was also caught off guard by the Law School’s small community, which compared to her much larger undergraduate alma mater, took her some time to adjust to. “It was such a different culture and atmosphere,” she reflected. 

Yet she found a lifeline in her classmates. “A few of my closest friends are folks I met at the Law School,” she said. “Their support meant everything to me back then, and now they are lifelong friends.” 

She also found inspiration in the classroom, in courses like Elements of the Law, which she said pushed her to think “in a way I had never been asked to do before.” That class, she said, “felt formative in the sense that I learned to be critical in my questioning of every aspect of a problem you’re trying to solve. That has served me well my entire career.” 

Experiencing the Law School’s academic rigor has also provided Hough with a lens through which to assess new talent. Having served on many hiring committees over the course of her career, Hough says she has observed a difference in the way UChicago Law graduates are better prepared and “have a rigor about the work that they do that is unparalleled.”

Reflecting further on her giving, Hough said: “I just try to add value wherever I can to keep the Law School as strong as it is today. It’s consistently viewed as one of the best law schools in the country and one of the best places to get an education that’s going to set you up for success in law. To the extent that I can, I want to help further that reputation and standing.”

Hometown

El Paso, Texas

Day job

Tax partner and global head of Skadden's Regulatory Practices

Because of the Law School

"I am where I am today."

Best career advice you’ve received

"In high-stress moments, always remember the person you’re dealing with is the most important person in the world to someone else. No matter the pressure, lead with kindness and respect."