Andy Hicks represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial disputes and tort claims. A tenacious trial lawyer and astute legal strategist, he has built an exceptional track record both in the courtroom and before arbitral tribunals in the United States and abroad.
With extensive experience in virtually all types of complex commercial litigation matters, Hicks is most often called upon to represent participants in the energy industry. He regularly handles disputes involving joint operating agreements; the development, processing, and sale of oil, gas, and other commodities; partnerships and joint ventures; professional negligence; products liability; trade secrets; breaches of fiduciary duty; and other business torts. In the renewables space, he has litigated matters related to master project supply agreements, purchase and sale agreements, operations and maintenance agreements, and membership interest purchase and sale agreements, as well as project acquisition and development, shareholder disputes, and alleged breaches of contract and other duties.
Hicks began his legal career at leading national law firms, where he focused on commercial litigation and international arbitration before co-founding Hicks Johnson in 2007.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2027 | Commercial Litigation, Energy |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2026 | Commercial Litigation, Energy |
Notable Experience
- Representing a leading renewable energy producer in several matters, including a dispute with a minority shareholder currently pending in New York state court and a private arbitration proceeding.
- Representing a major oil company in several audit disputes concerning amounts charged by the operator under the parties’ joint operating agreement.
- Represented an energy industry client in an arbitration with approximately $150 million in controversy to recover excess rig fees for non-operating working interest owner for a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Our client, as non-operator, claimed that the respondent had violated the parties’ unit operating agreement by employing above-market-rate off-shore drilling rigs to work the project. We resolved the arbitration in advance of the final hearing and obtained a favorable settlement for our client. Ultimately, the case’s outcome effected a change to rig contracting strategies and clearly delineated the provisions allowed by unit operating agreements.
- Representing one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerospace and defense products in a $3.5 billion contract dispute.
- Jointly represented the non-operating working interest owners in an offshore, ultra-deepwater project in the Gulf of Mexico. The dispute was related to investment charges owed in connection with a non-consent well drilled by the operator, with more than $40 million in controversy. We obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of the clients and recovered all damages sought.
- Represented an energy industry client in an audit dispute related to conduct by the well operator in connection with improper charges and unpaid charges concerning non-consent wells and use of jointly owned production equipment. The case was resolved through a settlement as part of a larger, global deal.
- Represented the non-operating working interest owner of an offshore, ultra-deepwater project in a rig rate dispute against the operator. The dispute concerned the breach of agreement’s provision on then-current market rate rigs. The claim settled prior to filing suit after months of negotiations and mediation.