Former Chief Counsel of Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Renardo (Rick) Hicks Joins Eckert Seamans in Harrisburg
April 10, 2023
National law firm Eckert Seamans welcomes Renardo (Rick) Hicks as a Member of the firm’s Utilities & Telecommunications practice group. He brings more than 30 years of legal and government experience to Eckert Seamans’ Harrisburg office and most recently served as Chief Counsel at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
As the Commission’s senior legal official, Hicks served as advisory and enforcement legal counsel in all appellate and original jurisdiction matters involving gas, electric, telephone, and water utilities before state courts and federal courts and agencies. Additionally, Hicks managed the Commission’s Law Bureau, which included drafting policies, procedures, and regulations from concept to implementation, developing Commission responses to Right-to-Know and Confidential Security Information requests, and supervision of contracted legal counsel in a variety of matters.
Prior to joining the Commission, Hicks founded R. L. Hicks & Associates, where he provided legal and consulting services to government entities, public utilities, for-profit and non-profit corporations, colleges, and universities, among many other services. In addition, his prior experience includes serving as Chair of the Energy, Regulatory and Public Utilities Group at Stevens & Lee; as Regional Vice President and Regulatory Counsel for XO Communications, Inc.; and as Executive Deputy Attorney General and Director of the Public Protection Division within the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Hicks has a B.A. in Government from Hamilton College; a J.D. from Northeastern University; an LLM from Temple University; and honorary Doctorate degrees from Allen University, Central Pennsylvania College, Morris Brown College, and Turner Theological Seminary.
The Harrisburg office is an integral part of Eckert Seamans, with a history of more than 35 years serving clients across the capital region of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The office includes more than 30 attorneys with multiple areas of focus, including Business Counseling, Energy and Utilities, Gaming, Government Affairs, Labor & Employment, Public Finance, Real Estate, and Transportation, among many others.
“Our Harrisburg office works at the crossroads of government and industry in the Commonwealth,” said Michael McAuliffe Miller, Member-In-Charge of Eckert Seamans’ Harrisburg office. “Rick’s extensive background in the government sector, private practice, and the telecommunications industry makes him an extremely valuable resource, not only for our utilities clients, but also for our entire client base. His arrival makes our already dynamic team of attorneys in Harrisburg even stronger, and we are excited he has joined the firm.”
Lawyers in the Utilities group at Eckert Seamans represent major telecommunications, energy, and water utility companies before state and federal regulatory agencies and courts and provide legal advice concerning numerous aspects of clients’ business activities. The group is highly experienced in compliance, licensing, ratemaking, and litigation issues involving all types of regulated companies – from water utilities, telecommunications, natural gas, and electric competitive suppliers to transportation companies.