Hicks Thomas LLP Loads Up on Courtroom Talent with Addition of 9 New Partners

Firm growth includes Downtown Houston office expansion

Hicks Thomas LLP announced today it is expanding the firm with the addition of nine new partners who all make their living in the courtroom. The team of veteran trial lawyers will bolster an already outstanding team of trial lawyers and further expand the firm’s depth of services in Texas and nationwide.

The new partners include John B. Shely, M. Katherine Strahan, Jeffrey D. Migit, Courtney B. Glaser, Brian Pidcock, Cameron Pope, Kelsey J. Hope, Laura Trenaman, and Bridget Vick. Additionally, five associates are joining the firm along with this partner group.

The commercial trial lawyers, all of whom spent their entire decades-long careers at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, have industry-leading experience and a long history of representing clients in managed care litigation, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) cases, and Medicare and Affordable Care Act claims. Additionally, this new team has significant trial experience in a wide range of complex commercial matters representing a wide range of clients in the energy industry.

“We could not be more pleased to welcome this team of incredibly talented lawyers to our firm,” said Hicks Thomas partner John B. Thomas. “As the healthcare industry increasingly pivots to managed care, legal disputes and regulatory challenges related to managed care are on the rise and will continue increasing. We intend for Hicks Thomas to be a major player in this field. At the same time, their extensive trial experience in other commercial disputes adds tremendously to our already very deep bench.”

“I had the pleasure of working with John and many other of the Hicks Thomas lawyers in the past, so to be able to work together again is a dream come true,” said Mr. Shely. “To have two very strong litigation teams join forces is exciting. Now, we will have more flexibility and greater control over our practice and our relationship with our clients. We look forward to everything we can accomplish together.”

With nearly 40 years of experience, Mr. Shely focuses on provider litigation, ERISA benefits and fiduciary litigation, and bad faith insurance practices litigation. He has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the Supreme Court of Texas, and other appellate courts.

Ms. Strahan is a seasoned managed care litigator who handles business and health care disputes involving health, disability, life and AD&D benefits, including ERISA and insurance bad faith claims. She has represented managed care companies, group insurers, employers and third-party insurers. Her case work includes managed care agreement claims, third-party administrative services contracts, out-of-network reimbursements or claims handling practices, verification of coverage or benefits and plan coverage provisions.

Mr. Migit is a veteran trial lawyer who focuses on complex commercial and business litigation. He handles cases for energy clients and other industries involving breach of contract and business torts, including tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duty, and misappropriation of trade secrets. His work also includes insurance-related litigation, including ERISA/managed care litigation and insurance coverage disputes.

Ms. Glaser is a business litigator who focuses on managed care and complex commercial disputes, representing group insurers, plan administrators, third-party claim administrators, pharmacy providers, and employer groups. She also handles cases involving medical benefits disputes and claim billing, reimbursements disputes, and fraud.

Mr. Pidcock handles complex business disputes for companies in a wide range of industries, including energy and healthcare. He has litigated cases involving fraud, theft, negligence, tortious interference, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, toxic tort, misappropriation of trade secrets, copyright and trademark infringement, ERISA violations, and eminent domain.

Mr. Pope focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis on appellate preparation, assisting in preservation of error at trial, preparation for and arguing jury charges, and analysis of the trial record. He also handles cases involving employee benefits, managed care and ERISA disputes, oil and gas, and toxic tort litigation.

Ms. Hope is a seasoned trial lawyer who focuses on managed care litigation. She represents plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal lawsuits involving disputes over medical benefits, reimbursement disputes, claim billing and payment, and fraud. Her work also includes advising group insurers, plan administrators, third-party claim administrators, and employers in lawsuits involving medical benefits.

Ms. Trenaman is an experienced litigator focusing on commercial litigation, health care litigation and compliance, and managed care litigation. She handles all phases of health care liability claims from discovery through trial. Her work also includes representation of health care institutions and health care providers, including physicians and nurses, in disciplinary actions before licensing boards.

Ms. Vick is a managed care litigator who has represented companies in contract disputes involving hospitals and provider groups. She also litigates managed care agreements, overpayments and improper billing practices, insurance business practices, personal injury claims, and workers’ compensation claims.

“These additions to Hicks Thomas will have a profound impact on our firm DNA. For one thing, we are welcoming a significant influx of new women partners,” says Thomas. “Going forward, I expect it will help us attract more top talent and will provide our clients with broader perspectives and a more inclusive law firm culture.”

As part of the expansion, Hicks Thomas will take over an additional 5,000 square feet on the 20th floor of TC Energy Center, located at 700 Louisiana Street in Downtown Houston.

Founded in 1997, Texas-based Hicks Thomas LLP is a premier litigation firm representing plaintiffs and defendants across the nation. With offices in Houston, Austin, Beaumont, Amarillo, and Sacramento, California, the firm provides in-depth experience in cases involving oil and gas (upstream, midstream, and downstream), construction, environmental, complex commercial, toxic tort, construction, products liability, corporate governance, securities, banking, insurance coverage, transportation, trade secrets, and general business litigation. Visit the firm at http://www.hicks-thomas.com.

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