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Ronald L. Hicks, Jr.
Partner
Suite 700
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
For more than 35 years, Ron has handled complex and commercial litigation in trial and appellate courts at the state and federal level, and before arbitration and mediation panels, throughout the Atlantic Coast and Midwest. As a trial and appellate lawyer, Ron’s litigation practice focuses on claims involving misappropriation of trade secrets, intellectual property disputes,...
For more than 35 years, Ron has handled complex and commercial litigation in trial and appellate courts at the state and federal level, and before arbitration and mediation panels, throughout the Atlantic Coast and Midwest. As a trial and appellate lawyer, Ron’s litigation practice focuses on claims involving misappropriation of trade secrets, intellectual property disputes, breach of restrictive covenants, business competition matters, partnership and business owner disputes, contract and warranty claims, creditors’ rights and fraudulent transfers, estate and fiduciary liability, insurance coverage for businesses and other insureds, real estate title disputes, oil and gas litigation, and telemarketing, email, and online marketing matters. He is member of the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers and serves as an arbitrator, early neutral evaluator, and e-discovery dispute Special Master for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
A proud member of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ community and the founding member of Three Rivers Business Alliance, the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce for Pittsburgh and the Greater Allegheny region, Ron represents LGBTQ+ business owners and clients across many industries, often serving as outside general counsel. He advises on general corporate issues and business transactions, including entity formation and operation, contract drafting and review, document retention and destruction policies, internet and social media matters, and intellectual property concerns including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and warranties.
Additionally, Ron represents local, state, and federal Republican candidates and political committees, serving as their general or litigation counsel. As an election lawyer, Ron handles a variety of election law disputes, including election contests, ballot recounts, nomination objections, absentee, mail-in and provisional ballot challenges, and other pre- and post-election litigation. In addition, he has planned and participated in Election Day operations, including for the past five presidential campaigns. He regularly provides training on Pennsylvania election processes and procedures, and has appeared before election board and in state and federal courts throughout Pennsylvania on various election law matters.
Ron has an AV Preeminent Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating Program. Since 2011, he has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation, bankruptcy, construction, intellectual property and real estate litigation. In 2022, Ron was selected as The Best Lawyers in America’s Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Litigation in Pittsburgh.
Other accolades include inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and in Who’s Who in American Law and being named to the Order of the Barristers. Additionally, City & State Pennsylvania selected Ron for its inaugural 2021 Top 50 Over 50 list of influential Pennsylvanians, its inaugural 2022 Pennsylvania Pride Power 100 list, and its 2022 and 2023 Pittsburgh Power 100 lists.
breach of restrictive covenants, business competition matters, partnership and business owner disputes, contract and warranty claims, creditors’ rights and fraudulent transfers, estate and fiduciary liability, insurance coverage for businesses and other insureds, real estate title disputes, oil and gas litigation, and telemarketing, email, and online marketing matters. He is member of the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers and serves as an arbitrator, early neutral evaluator, and e-discovery dispute Special Master for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
A proud member of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ community and the founding member of Three Rivers Business Alliance, the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce for Pittsburgh and the Greater Allegheny region, Ron represents LGBTQ+ business owners and clients across many industries, often serving as outside general counsel. He advises on general corporate issues and business transactions, including entity formation and operation, contract drafting and review, document retention and destruction policies, internet and social media matters, and intellectual property concerns including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and warranties.
Additionally, Ron represents local, state, and federal Republican candidates and political committees, serving as their general or litigation counsel. As an election lawyer, Ron handles a variety of election law disputes, including election contests, ballot recounts, nomination objections, absentee, mail-in and provisional ballot challenges, and other pre- and post-election litigation. In addition, he has planned and participated in Election Day operations, including for the past five presidential campaigns. He regularly provides training on Pennsylvania election processes and procedures, and has appeared before election board and in state and federal courts throughout Pennsylvania on various election law matters.
Ron has an AV Preeminent Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating Program. Since 2011, he has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation, bankruptcy, construction, intellectual property and real estate litigation. In 2022, Ron was selected as The Best Lawyers in America’s Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Litigation in Pittsburgh.
Other accolades include inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and in Who’s Who in American Law and being named to the Order of the Barristers. Additionally, City & State Pennsylvania selected Ron for its inaugural 2021 Top 50 Over 50 list of influential Pennsylvanians, its inaugural 2022 Pennsylvania Pride Power 100 list, and its 2022 and 2023 Pittsburgh Power 100 lists.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
- Following a bench trial in federal court, attained a $5.5 million judgment against the guarantors of a commercial loan provided by a Minnesota bank, plus an award of over $450,000 in attorneys’ fees.
- Secured a reversal from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of a district court’s preliminary injunction that sought to eliminate all competition by a company’s rival and two of the company’s former employees because the alleged trade secrets were not identified with sufficient particularity.
- Obtained orders striking a 24-year-old default judgment and dismissing a quiet title action claiming adverse possession of severed oil and gas rights based on such judgment, which orders were affirmed on appeal.
- Obtained, after 30 days of trial in a New Jersey state court, a $12.8 million verdict against a client’s legacy insurance companies for environmental clean-up damages
- Enforced an employee’s restrictive covenants by obtaining, following a two-day hearing in federal court, a preliminary injunction imposing a 12-month, non-compete in the employee’s former territory, an 18-month, non-solicitation of his former employer’s customers and employees, and an indefinite ban on disclosing or using in any manner the client’s confidential information or other property.
- Protected a manufacturer’s customer information and other trade secrets by obtaining, after a three-day evidentiary hearing in federal court, one-year and 10-year injunctions to prevent their misuse by a former salesman and a terminated dealer.
- Obtained, after two 10-day jury trials in federal court, judgments totaling more than $14 million for siblings against their brother/uncle and his wife for misappropriation and fraudulent transfer of family assets, and protecting those judgments by obtaining pre-verdict and post judgment freeze orders, a declaratory judgment in Florida state court that a condominium was not homestead property, and a declaratory judgment in federal bankruptcy court that the judgment against the wife was not dischargeable.
- Served as lead trial and appellate counsel in In re: Canvass of Absentee Ballots of November 2003 General Election, 843 A.2d 1223 (Pa. 2004), in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declared the “in-person” delivery requirement for absentee ballots under the Pennsylvania Election Code was mandatory, resulting in a Pennsylvania Superior Court Republican candidate winning her election by 28 votes out of more than 2.25 million cast.
Previous Professional Experience
- Worked for Am Law 250 law firm, co-chaired Election and Political Law Practice Group and first-ever LGBTQ+ Business Practice Group (2019-2023)
- Worked for Top Fifty Pittsburgh law firm, serving in various roles including Partner in Charge of Associates, Partner in Charge of Paralegals, Chair of its Technology Committee, Member of the Management Committee, Vice-Chair of its Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, and Chair of its Energy, Utilities & Mineral Rights Practice Group (1987-2019).
Education
-
Wake Forest University School of Law,
JD
(1987)
- Order of the Barristers
- Pennsylvania State University, BA (1984)
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
- Following a bench trial in federal court, attained a $5.5 million judgment against the guarantors of a commercial loan provided by a Minnesota bank, plus an award of over $450,000 in attorneys’ fees.
- Secured a reversal from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of a district court’s preliminary injunction that sought to eliminate all competition by a company’s rival and two of the company’s former employees because the alleged trade secrets were not identified with sufficient particularity.
- Obtained orders striking a 24-year-old default judgment and dismissing a quiet title action claiming adverse possession of severed oil and gas rights based on such judgment, which orders were affirmed on appeal.
- Obtained, after 30 days of trial in a New Jersey state court, a $12.8 million verdict against a client’s legacy insurance companies for environmental clean-up damages
- Enforced an employee’s restrictive covenants by obtaining, following a two-day hearing in federal court, a preliminary injunction imposing a 12-month, non-compete in the employee’s former territory, an 18-month, non-solicitation of his former employer’s customers and employees, and an indefinite ban on disclosing or using in any manner the client’s confidential information or other property.
- Protected a manufacturer’s customer information and other trade secrets by obtaining, after a three-day evidentiary hearing in federal court, one-year and 10-year injunctions to prevent their misuse by a former salesman and a terminated dealer.
- Obtained, after two 10-day jury trials in federal court, judgments totaling more than $14 million for siblings against their brother/uncle and his wife for misappropriation and fraudulent transfer of family assets, and protecting those judgments by obtaining pre-verdict and post judgment freeze orders, a declaratory judgment in Florida state court that a condominium was not homestead property, and a declaratory judgment in federal bankruptcy court that the judgment against the wife was not dischargeable.
- Served as lead trial and appellate counsel in In re: Canvass of Absentee Ballots of November 2003 General Election, 843 A.2d 1223 (Pa. 2004), in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declared the “in-person” delivery requirement for absentee ballots under the Pennsylvania Election Code was mandatory, resulting in a Pennsylvania Superior Court Republican candidate winning her election by 28 votes out of more than 2.25 million cast.
Previous Professional Experience
- Worked for Am Law 250 law firm, co-chaired Election and Political Law Practice Group and first-ever LGBTQ+ Business Practice Group (2019-2023)
- Worked for Top Fifty Pittsburgh law firm, serving in various roles including Partner in Charge of Associates, Partner in Charge of Paralegals, Chair of its Technology Committee, Member of the Management Committee, Vice-Chair of its Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, and Chair of its Energy, Utilities & Mineral Rights Practice Group (1987-2019).
Media
Recognitions
- City & State Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Power 100 (2022–2023)
- City & State Pennsylvania, Pride Power 100 (2022–2023)
- City & State Pennsylvania, Top Fifty Over 50 (2021)
- RNLA, Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award (2018)
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2005-2007, 2011–2023)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2011–2025), Litigation – Bankruptcy (2011–2025), Litigation – Construction (2011–2025), Litigation – Real Estate (2011–2025)
- Lawyer of the Year in Pittsburgh, P.A. for Litigation – Real Estate (2022)
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America® Annual Guide to Commercial Litigation (2012)
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Included in 2012 Top Rated Lawyers® in Insurance (2012)
- Who's Who in American Law (1997)
- Order of the Barristers (1987)
Professional Activities
- Litigation Counsel of America (2021 - present)
- Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County (2015-present)
- Allegheny County Bar Association (1987-present), including participation on the following:
- Board of Governors (2016-2019)
- Judiciary Committee (2014-2016)
- Civil Litigation Section (1987-present)
- LGBT Rights Committee (2014-present)
- Committee for Diversity & Inclusion (former co-chair) (2015-present)
- Appellate Practice Committee (2018-2020)
- Court Rules Committee (2018-present)
- Political Action Committee (former co-chair) (2018-2021)
- Finance Committee (2018-present)
- Women in Law Divisions Gender Bias Committee (2018-2023)
- Nominating Committee (2018, 2023)
- Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Fellow (2016)
- American Bar Association (1987-present)
- Pennsylvania Bar Association (1987-present)
- Republican National Lawyers Association (2004-present)
- National LGBT Bar Association (2014-present)
- Meritas, Co-Chair of US/Canada Litigation Group (2001-2019)
Community
- Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, Director (2017-present)
- Three Rivers Business Alliance, President/Board of Director (2017-present)
- Three Rivers Business Alliance Foundation, President (2019-2022)
- Pennsylvania Society (2011-present)
- Republican Committee of Allegheny County, Solicitor/Committee Member (2003-present)
- Republican Committee of City of Pittsburgh, 3rd Council District, Chair/Committeeperson (2003-present)
- Penn State Alumni Association, Life Member
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Member of National Legal Industry Council, Procurement Counsel, and Corporate Advisory Council (2015-2020)
- Penn State University College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Society, Board Member (2012-2017)
- Wake Forest University School of Law, Law Alumni Council (2005-2007)
- South Shore Place Owners’ Association, Board Member (2004-2010)
- Vice-President (2004)
- President (2005-2010)
- Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Board Member (2004-2008)
- Vice-President (2005-2006)
- President (2007-2008)
- Pittsburgh Young Professionals, Board Member (1989-1992)
- Secretary (1991)
- President (1992)
For more than 35 years, Ron has handled complex and commercial litigation in trial and appellate courts at the state and federal level, and before arbitration and mediation panels, throughout the Atlantic Coast and Midwest. As a trial and appellate lawyer, Ron’s litigation practice focuses on claims involving misappropriation of trade secrets, intellectual property disputes,... breach of restrictive covenants, business competition matters, partnership and business owner disputes, contract and warranty claims, creditors’ rights and fraudulent transfers, estate and fiduciary liability, insurance coverage for businesses and other insureds, real estate title disputes, oil and gas litigation, and telemarketing, email, and online marketing matters. He is member of the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers and serves as an arbitrator, early neutral evaluator, and e-discovery dispute Special Master for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
A proud member of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ community and the founding member of Three Rivers Business Alliance, the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce for Pittsburgh and the Greater Allegheny region, Ron represents LGBTQ+ business owners and clients across many industries, often serving as outside general counsel. He advises on general corporate issues and business transactions, including entity formation and operation, contract drafting and review, document retention and destruction policies, internet and social media matters, and intellectual property concerns including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and warranties.
Additionally, Ron represents local, state, and federal Republican candidates and political committees, serving as their general or litigation counsel. As an election lawyer, Ron handles a variety of election law disputes, including election contests, ballot recounts, nomination objections, absentee, mail-in and provisional ballot challenges, and other pre- and post-election litigation. In addition, he has planned and participated in Election Day operations, including for the past five presidential campaigns. He regularly provides training on Pennsylvania election processes and procedures, and has appeared before election board and in state and federal courts throughout Pennsylvania on various election law matters.
Ron has an AV Preeminent Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating Program. Since 2011, he has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation, bankruptcy, construction, intellectual property and real estate litigation. In 2022, Ron was selected as The Best Lawyers in America’s Lawyer of the Year for Real Estate Litigation in Pittsburgh.
Other accolades include inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and in Who’s Who in American Law and being named to the Order of the Barristers. Additionally, City & State Pennsylvania selected Ron for its inaugural 2021 Top 50 Over 50 list of influential Pennsylvanians, its inaugural 2022 Pennsylvania Pride Power 100 list, and its 2022 and 2023 Pittsburgh Power 100 lists.
Experience
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
- Following a bench trial in federal court, attained a $5.5 million judgment against the guarantors of a commercial loan provided by a Minnesota bank, plus an award of over $450,000 in attorneys’ fees.
- Secured a reversal from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of a district court’s preliminary injunction that sought to eliminate all competition by a company’s rival and two of the company’s former employees because the alleged trade secrets were not identified with sufficient particularity.
- Obtained orders striking a 24-year-old default judgment and dismissing a quiet title action claiming adverse possession of severed oil and gas rights based on such judgment, which orders were affirmed on appeal.
- Obtained, after 30 days of trial in a New Jersey state court, a $12.8 million verdict against a client’s legacy insurance companies for environmental clean-up damages
- Enforced an employee’s restrictive covenants by obtaining, following a two-day hearing in federal court, a preliminary injunction imposing a 12-month, non-compete in the employee’s former territory, an 18-month, non-solicitation of his former employer’s customers and employees, and an indefinite ban on disclosing or using in any manner the client’s confidential information or other property.
- Protected a manufacturer’s customer information and other trade secrets by obtaining, after a three-day evidentiary hearing in federal court, one-year and 10-year injunctions to prevent their misuse by a former salesman and a terminated dealer.
- Obtained, after two 10-day jury trials in federal court, judgments totaling more than $14 million for siblings against their brother/uncle and his wife for misappropriation and fraudulent transfer of family assets, and protecting those judgments by obtaining pre-verdict and post judgment freeze orders, a declaratory judgment in Florida state court that a condominium was not homestead property, and a declaratory judgment in federal bankruptcy court that the judgment against the wife was not dischargeable.
- Served as lead trial and appellate counsel in In re: Canvass of Absentee Ballots of November 2003 General Election, 843 A.2d 1223 (Pa. 2004), in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declared the “in-person” delivery requirement for absentee ballots under the Pennsylvania Election Code was mandatory, resulting in a Pennsylvania Superior Court Republican candidate winning her election by 28 votes out of more than 2.25 million cast.
Previous Professional Experience
- Worked for Am Law 250 law firm, co-chaired Election and Political Law Practice Group and first-ever LGBTQ+ Business Practice Group (2019-2023)
- Worked for Top Fifty Pittsburgh law firm, serving in various roles including Partner in Charge of Associates, Partner in Charge of Paralegals, Chair of its Technology Committee, Member of the Management Committee, Vice-Chair of its Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, and Chair of its Energy, Utilities & Mineral Rights Practice Group (1987-2019).
Education
-
Wake Forest University School of Law,
JD
(1987)
- Order of the Barristers
- Pennsylvania State University, BA (1984)
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
- Oil & Gas
- Bad Faith & Extra Contractual Litigation
- Bankruptcy & Insolvency Related Litigation
- Appellate Practice & Legal Strategies
- Commercial Litigation & Business Torts
- Probate Litigation
Industries
- City & State Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Power 100 (2022–2023)
- City & State Pennsylvania, Pride Power 100 (2022–2023)
- City & State Pennsylvania, Top Fifty Over 50 (2021)
- RNLA, Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award (2018)
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2005-2007, 2011–2023)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2011–2025), Litigation – Bankruptcy (2011–2025), Litigation – Construction (2011–2025), Litigation – Real Estate (2011–2025)
- Lawyer of the Year in Pittsburgh, P.A. for Litigation – Real Estate (2022)
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America® Annual Guide to Commercial Litigation (2012)
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Included in 2012 Top Rated Lawyers® in Insurance (2012)
- Who's Who in American Law (1997)
- Order of the Barristers (1987)
- Litigation Counsel of America (2021 - present)
- Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County (2015-present)
- Allegheny County Bar Association (1987-present), including participation on the following:
- Board of Governors (2016-2019)
- Judiciary Committee (2014-2016)
- Civil Litigation Section (1987-present)
- LGBT Rights Committee (2014-present)
- Committee for Diversity & Inclusion (former co-chair) (2015-present)
- Appellate Practice Committee (2018-2020)
- Court Rules Committee (2018-present)
- Political Action Committee (former co-chair) (2018-2021)
- Finance Committee (2018-present)
- Women in Law Divisions Gender Bias Committee (2018-2023)
- Nominating Committee (2018, 2023)
- Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Fellow (2016)
- American Bar Association (1987-present)
- Pennsylvania Bar Association (1987-present)
- Republican National Lawyers Association (2004-present)
- National LGBT Bar Association (2014-present)
- Meritas, Co-Chair of US/Canada Litigation Group (2001-2019)
- Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, Director (2017-present)
- Three Rivers Business Alliance, President/Board of Director (2017-present)
- Three Rivers Business Alliance Foundation, President (2019-2022)
- Pennsylvania Society (2011-present)
- Republican Committee of Allegheny County, Solicitor/Committee Member (2003-present)
- Republican Committee of City of Pittsburgh, 3rd Council District, Chair/Committeeperson (2003-present)
- Penn State Alumni Association, Life Member
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Member of National Legal Industry Council, Procurement Counsel, and Corporate Advisory Council (2015-2020)
- Penn State University College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Society, Board Member (2012-2017)
- Wake Forest University School of Law, Law Alumni Council (2005-2007)
- South Shore Place Owners’ Association, Board Member (2004-2010)
- Vice-President (2004)
- President (2005-2010)
- Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Board Member (2004-2008)
- Vice-President (2005-2006)
- President (2007-2008)
- Pittsburgh Young Professionals, Board Member (1989-1992)
- Secretary (1991)
- President (1992)
Highlights from the Firm’s Insights
