Ryan Hicks brings unique insight to his litigation work for media clients, drawing on well-rounded experience in and out of the courtroom as well as a background in journalism and media production.
Ryan has represented prominent national and international companies in the media, entertainment, and tech sectors, including Fortune 500s. He has assisted clients at all stages of litigation, including as first and second chair, conducted internal investigations, and advised on a wide range of issues, including antitrust, deceptive trade practices, securities class actions, transaction-related litigation risks, and various media law and IP matters.
His legal expertise overlaps with media savviness—before becoming a lawyer, Ryan was a political correspondent, reporter, and producer, previously working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and producing documentaries in Panama and Rwanda. In 2019, he received the Amnesty International Media Award for his on-the-ground reporting from Guatemala about the root causes of migration to the U.S. southern border. He is a regular participant in workshops on media and communications law and a proponent of civil rights and pro bono work.
Admitted to Practice
- New York, 2022
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
Education
- J.D., McGill University, 2021
- Bachelor of Civil Law
- Best Team and Best Factum, Laskin Constitutional and Administrative Law Moot Competition
- McBurney Latin America Fellow
- Research Assistant for Professors Johanne Poirier (Constitutional Law) and Andrea Bjorklund (International Arbitration)
- Senior Editor: McGill Journal of Dispute Resolution
- M.J., Carleton College, 2009
- B.A., International Development (Honors) & Latin American Studies, McGill University, 2006
Languages
- French, Spanish
Memberships & Affiliations
- Associate Board Member, New York Anti-Violence Project, New York
- Committee on Media Law, New York State Bar Association
Professional Recognition
- Amnesty International Media Award, 2019
Background
- Litigation Associate, 2021-2025; Summer Associate, 2020 – Freshfields US LLP, New York
- Law Clerk, Hon. Flavia K. Longo, Court of Quebec (Criminal Division), Montreal, Canada, 2019-2020
- Legal Fellow, Asociación Bufete Jurídico Popular, Rabinal, Guatemala, 2018
- Political Correspondent, Reporter & Producer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 2009-2017
- Writer, Producer & Director, "After the Handover" documentary, Panama City, Panama, 2007-2009
- Producer, Internews, Kigali, Rwanda, 2008