Overview
Sean Hughes is a telecommunications and land development attorney. His practice focuses on helping clients who are in need of local governmental review and approval in order to proceed forward on development projects.
Sean’s career spans more than two decades of focus in legal and wireless telecommunications, including handling public relations and affairs matters of a Fortune 50 company throughout the United States. During the course of his career, he has spoken extensively on topics related to telecommunications land use law. Additionally, he has represented clients in land use and zoning matters throughout the Mid-Atlantic area, and in litigation matters in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Prior to joining Miller, Miller & Canby, Sean was a Director at Network Building + Consulting, where he led the company’s Infrastructure Development division that worked with publicly-traded, regional and local cell tower, and small cell companies’ wireless land use development. He also had operated the Law Office of Sean Hughes, focusing on zoning and land use matters in the Washington Metropolitan area. Before launching his own firm, he represented clients as an attorney with the Washington, DC area zoning/telecommunications law firm of Donahue & Blue. In addition, he served as a Director of Public Affairs/Communications at Sprint/Nextel, supporting external public relations activities on land use siting, network, legislative/regulatory matters, and philanthropy. His tenure at Sprint Nextel also included leading the zoning and permitting build out of the Nextel network in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Before joining Sprint Nextel, he worked as a zoning and leasing attorney for Vento/Entel Technologies, Inc., helping to launch the Sprint Spectrum PCS and Nextel networks in the D.C. region. His legal career began at a general practice law firm in Montgomery County, Maryland where he represented clients and litigated civil, criminal and domestic law matters.
Raised in Montgomery County, MD, Sean attended Montgomery County Public Schools, is a past member of the Howard County Inns of Court, member of the MSBA Maryland Land Use Institute & planning committee, member of Montgomery County Bar Association, and a Board Member of the MD/DC Wireless Association. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. His wife, an educator, and he are proud parents of three incredible young adults.
Testimonials
Practice Areas
Professional Affiliations
- Bar Association of Montgomery County
- Bar Association of the District of Columbia
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Board Member, MD/DC Wireless Association
Education
- University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1994
- University of Delaware, B.A., 1990
Honors and Awards
Best Lawyers, 2025
Case Studies
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Land Use & Zoning
Commercial Development / Nonconforming Use
Issue: Clients, two large, professional Landscape Contracting firms, received civil citations alleging that the businesses did not have...read more →
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Land Use & Zoning
Telecommunications / Land Use Approval for Cell Tower
Issue: A longtime client of Miller, Miller & Canby attorney Sean P. Hughes, Esq. needed legal assistance to gain land use approval...read more →
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Land Use & Zoning
Telecommunications / Zoning Approval for Out of State Wireless Company
Issue: An out of state wireless infrastructure development (cell tower) company retained Sean in mid-December. The client needed...read more →
DISCLAIMER: THE CASES AND RESULTS DESCRIBED HEREIN ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST RESULTS OBTAINED BY MILLER, MILLER & CANBY, AND ITS ATTORNEYS. PAST CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS. ALL CASES ARE DISTINCT AND HAVE UNIQUE FACTS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED AND EVALUATED ON THEIR OWN MERIT.