Jennifer J. Hicks

Area of Emphasis

Jennifer Hicks is a shareholder in the Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources, Employment and Labor, and Environmental groups of Babst Calland.  Ms. Hicks has represented clients in a wide variety of litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout West Virginia.  These include complex class actions, breach of contract, coal and natural gas royalty disputes, lease termination disputes, condemnation, employment, nuisance, trespass, property damage, premises liability, product liability, and personal injury matters, among others.  Ms. Hicks has both trial and appellate court experience, including multiple jury trials.

Background

Ms. Hicks graduated from West Virginia University, with a B.A. in Women’s Studies in 2007.  She received her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 2010.

Memberships and Affiliations

Ms. Hicks is admitted to practice in West Virginia, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of West Virginia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  She serves on the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia’s Women in the Law Committee and as the Conference Co-Chair for the Appalachia Energy Law Conference, presented by The Center for American and International Law and the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation.  Ms. Hicks is the former vice chair of the board of directors of Generation West Virginia and the former president of the Kanawha County Bar Association.  She is a graduate of Leadership West Virginia, Leadership Kanawha Valley, and the Institute for Energy Law Leadership Class.

Ms. Hicks was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^© in the Energy Law Section since 2024 and the Commercial Litigation Section for 2025 by BL Rankings. She was selected to the 2017-2020 West Virginia Rising Stars lists (Thomson Reuters).

Publications/Presentations

• Co-Author, “Federal Appeals Court Issues Decision Related to Calculation of Royalties on Natural Gas Liquids,” Babst Calland Energy Alert, January 6, 2023.
• Co-Author, “Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Accepts Certified Questions About Deductibility of Post-Production Expenses and the Viability of Tawney,” Babst Calland Energy Alert, November 5, 2021.
• Moderator, “In-House Counsel Panel,” 12^th Law of Shale Plays Conference, September 15, 2021.
• Co-Author, “Federal Court Certifies Questions to West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals About Deductibility of Post-Production Expenses and the Viability of Tawney,” Babst Calland Energy Alert, September 14, 2021.
• Author, “Federal Court Rules on WV Royalty Statute,” GOWV News, July 2021.
• Author, “Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Scheduled to Decide Potential Landmark Oil and Gas Case,” The DTCWV Defender, Spring 2019.
• Co-Author, “Water Quality Standard Setting Under the Clean Water Act:  Is It Nimble Enough to Avoid Wasteful Spending on the Wrong Goals?,” West Virginia Law Review:  116 W. Va. L. Rev. 1075 (2014).