Source: https://www.kirkland.com/lawyers/h/hicks-jr-george-w
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 14:25:21+00:00

Document:
George W. Hicks, Jr., is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses primarily on Supreme Court and appellate matters and critical motions work. George has written successful merits briefs in seven cases before the Supreme Court, obtained successful summary dispositions in two other cases, and written numerous successful petitions for certiorari as well. He has also authored successful briefs and dispositive motions before numerous federal and state courts of appeals and trial courts. His matters have addressed a wide range of subjects including administrative law, bankruptcy, CERCLA, commercial law, due process, election law, employment law, equal protection, ERISA, federal criminal law, the First Amendment, intellectual property, jurisdiction, preemption, presidential power, and securities law. George also provides strategic counseling to leading companies and organizations on a variety of legal issues. He has represented a diverse array of clients, including companies in the pharmaceutical, financial services, technology, insurance, air carrier, and energy and utility industries; states and municipalities; and individuals. He has argued before the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth (en banc), Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits, federal bankruptcy court, and the Maryland Court of Appeals.
A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, George served as a law clerk to Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Harvard Law Review. George worked as an investment banker before law school and was a partner at Bancroft PLLC before joining Kirkland. He is a member of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court.
Parker Drilling Management Services, Ltd. v. Newton. Representing energy exploration company challenging Ninth Circuit decision that, under Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, California wage-and-hour law is applicable on drilling platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf. Obtained certiorari; oral argument to occur in April 2019.
Herrera v. Wyoming. Representing Native American seeking to validate off-reservation hunting right reserved to Crow Tribe in 1868 treaty with the United States, contrary to lower court decision holding right abrogated by Wyoming statehood and creation of national forest. Obtained certiorari; oral argument held in January 2019.
Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro. Represented automobile dealership in case holding that Fair Labor Standards Act overtime-pay exemption does not apply to automobile service advisors.
Merit Management, LP v. FTI Consulting, Inc. Represented bankruptcy trustee in case addressing scope of Section 546 safe harbor to trustee’s avoidance powers under Chapter 5 of the Bankruptcy Code; obtained unanimous decision upholding trustee’s avoidance powers notwithstanding Section 546 safe harbor.
Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt. Represented State entity in case addressing state sovereign immunity under U.S. Constitution; obtained vacatur of lower-court decision exposing State entity to $85 million in damages.
Northwest, Inc. v. Ginsberg. Represented air carrier in case addressing preemption under Airline Deregulation Act; obtained unanimous reversal of lower-court decision exposing carrier to liability for alleged violations of covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
Sekhar v. United States. Represented individual in case addressing extortion under the federal Hobbs Act; obtained unanimous reversal of conviction and sentence.
Smith v. Cain. Represented individual in case addressing prosecutorial disclosure obligations under Brady v. Maryland; obtained vacatur of conviction, leading to vacatur of death penalty sentence.
Lighting Ballast Control LLC v. Philips Electronics N.A. Corp. Represented technology company in case addressing standard of review for factual findings in claim construction; obtained vacatur and remand, resulting in reversal of original lower-court decision on remand.
Piper v. Middaugh. Represented municipal officers in case addressing qualified immunity under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; obtained vacatur and remand.
Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. Represented state legislature in case challenging validity of independent redistricting commissions under Elections Clause of U.S. Constitution; by 5-4 vote, Court upheld validity of such commissions.
Sanofi v. Amgen, Inc. On behalf of two major pharmaceutical companies, obtained Federal Circuit decision vacating jury verdict finding competitor’s antibody patent valid under written-description and enablement requirements, and vacating district court injunction prohibiting sale of pharmaceutical product.
EagleMed LLC v. Cox. On behalf of major air ambulance company, obtained Tenth Circuit decision holding, as matter of first impression in the federal appellate courts, that air ambulances are “air carriers” covered by the Airline Deregulation Act and that state efforts to cap air ambulance rates are preempted by the Airline Deregulation Act.
Krys v. Farnum Place, LLC. On behalf of foreign trustee of insolvent investment fund, obtained precedent-setting Second Circuit decision addressing interplay between federal cross-border bankruptcy statute and Section 363 of Bankruptcy Code and requiring bankruptcy court to undertake Section 363 hearing.
Ralls Corp. v. Committee on Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. On behalf of industrial company, brought first-ever successful challenge to presidential decision prohibiting foreign purchase of U.S. company under Defense Production Act; D.C. Circuit held that President violated Due Process Clause of U.S. Constitution in barring transaction.
MicroStrategy Inc. v. Apptus Corp. On behalf of major technology company, obtained vacatur by Federal Circuit of lower-court decision invalidating three patents and negotiated settlement of case.
FirstEnergy Corp. v. New York State Electric & Gas Co. On behalf of major utility, obtained reversal in part by Second Circuit in case addressing veil-piercing and CERCLA liability, reducing damages by millions of dollars.
Bilheimer v. Federal Express Long-Term Disability Plan. On behalf of individual, obtained affirmance by Fourth Circuit of decision addressing standard of review in ERISA benefits determinations and granting long-term disability benefits under ERISA.
Krys v. Farnum Place, LLC. After remand from successful Second Circuit decision, obtained district court decision upholding bankruptcy court’s invalidation of asset transfer following Section 363 hearing.
Florida Power Corp. v. FirstEnergy Corp. Obtained summary judgment for major utility in case involving veil-piercing, CERCLA, and bankruptcy.

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