Sir Hugh Fort (1862 – 28 May 1919) was an English barrister-at-law who served on the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements at the beginning of the twentieth century.

[1][2] In 1887, he went to Singapore for health reasons, and joined the firm of Donaldson and Burkinshaw, becoming its head in 1893 after being admitted to the local bar the same year.

He had a reputation as a formidable advocate, became head of the Singapore bar, and it was said he possessed the best brain of any man who had come to the Straits Settlements.

[2][3] In most large cases, he was usually instructed, including many high-profile cases such as the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company proceedings in London,[1] the Tilleke jewel-robbery case in Bangkok where he secured the acquittal on appeal of A. Tilleke, proprietor of the Siam Observer,[4] and the application for a writ of habeas corpus to secure, unsuccessfully, the release of José Rizal, Philippino nationalist, who was being held prisoner on a ship docked in Singapore on its return to Manila.

[5] From 1905 to 1910, he served as an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements where he advised and assisted the government with the introduction of many new laws, sitting on various commissions with the Attorney-General and the Chief Justice, which were established to consider and draft the new legislation.