J. Stephen Barrick is a trial lawyer and appellate specialist who began his legal career as the law clerk for a federal judge in Houston, Texas. After a two-year clerkship, Mr. Barrick joined the litigation department of a large, international law firm, where he practiced trial and appellate law for more than nine years. In 2008, Mr. Barrick joined Hicks Thomas, where his practice focuses on business litigation and appeals. Mr. Barrick is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has over 20 years of experience litigating complex business disputes.
- University of Houston Law Center (J.D., magna cum laude, 1996)
- Order of the Coif
- Order of the Barons
- Houston Law Review – (Notes and Comments Editor, 1995-96)
- University of California at Berkeley (B.A., 1989)
- Senior Year Abroad at Wadham College, Oxford (1988-89).
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Ninth, Tenth, and Federal Circuits
- U.S. District Courts for all districts in Texas
- State Bar of Texas
- Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (2020-2025)
- Recognized in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America (2023-2025)
- Named to Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2012-2024)
- Section Leadership Council, Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section (2014-2017)
- Named to Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters (2004-2007)
- Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists (TACTAS)
- State Bar of Texas (Litigation and Appellate Sections)
- Houston Bar Association (Litigation and Appellate Sections)
- Lead counsel on appeal of a multi-million dollar judgment in favor of the client in a complex business partnership and intentional tort case.
- Lead counsel for an international oil and gas exploration company in multi-million dollar joint-interest billing dispute under an offshore joint operating agreement.
- Lead counsel for a publicly-traded oil and gas exploration company in ad hoc arbitration against joint interest owners over rights in an overseas oil and gas project.
- Lead counsel for a publicly-traded oil and gas company in contract dispute against a gas processing and marketing company.
- Counsel for nationwide retailer in trademark and trade dress dispute with a former product supplier.
- Counsel for a publicly-traded offshore drilling contractor in $160 million contract dispute against two of the largest corporations in the world.
- Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
