Contact Information

Practice Areas

• Construction Law
• Creditor’s Rights
• Business Litigation

Education

• Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 2000
• Stephen F. Austin State University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1997

Admitted to Practice

• Texas, 2000
• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western District of Texas

Bio

Rebecca Hicks represents owners, contractors, architects and suppliers in a broad range of construction related matters. She assists clients with legal issues related to all types of projects from private commercial, to state and federal government projects. Rebecca’s breadth of experience provides an understanding of the competing interests on the job site, so that contract terms can be tailored to the specific needs of the client. Rebecca assists clients in drafting, negotiating and interpreting terms of construction contracts, and related contract documents, for public and private projects. This can include development of customized contract forms, or working with common construction form contracts including AIA and Consensus Docs.

Rebecca litigates and arbitrates construction claims involving payment disputes, scheduling disputes and delays, change order disputes, changes in scope of work and construction defect claims. Rebecca also aids clients in perfecting or disputing mechanics’ lien claims and federal and state payment bond claims. Rebecca writes and speaks on a variety of construction related topics for various trade organizations and training programs.

Rebecca represents financial institutions and other creditors in lawsuits based on promissory notes, guarantees and unpaid accounts. On a regular basis, she obtains judgments for creditor clients without trial, and is able to overcome most common debtor defenses, including usury claims. Rebecca also counsels creditor clients to ensure compliance with federal and state debt collection regulations before litigation.

Rebecca also represents commercial landlords in lease related litigation, including breach of lease, lease interpretation and forcible detainer actions.

Rebecca has significant experience in post-judgment collection proceedings, including garnishments, turnover actions and post-judgment depositions. She works with judgment creditors to identify hidden assets and pursue unconventional legal theories to increase collectability.

Honors & Awards

• HLG selected by the Women’s Business Council-Southwest as a 2014 recipient of the Lillie Knox Investing for Growth Award
• Selected by attorney peers for inclusion as Texas Super Lawyers®, 2014-2016
• Selected by the US Small Business Administration Dallas/Fort Worth Office as the District 2014 Women in Business Champion of the Year.
• Recognized by the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council at the 6th Annual BUY THOSE THAT BUY US as one of the 51 Leading Corporations and Public Agencies Recognized for Minority Business Development in 2013.
• Selected by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the top Women in Business for 2013.
• Received the Women Owned Business Enterprise Rising Star for 2013 from the Women’s Business Council – Southwest.
• Selected by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the Top 40 Under 40 for 2012.
• Received the Luna Award as 2011 Business Advocate of the Year presented by the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Luna Awards and Women’s Conference.
• Selected by attorney peers for inclusion as a Texas Rising Star®, Texas Monthly, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011-2014 (honor received by 2.5% of attorneys under 40 based on peer recommendations).
• Serves as Co-Host on internet TV Show Diversity in Action with Eddie Reyes 2013-present.
• Received Special Recognition as an industry leader at the Luna Awards Luncheon, hosted by the Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW, 2008.
• Appeared on internet radio show Diversity in Action with Eddie Reyes, 2009 regarding proposed legislation impacting construction contracts and other construction industry issues.
• Baylor Law Review, Notes & Comments Editor (top 15% of class invited to join).
• Order of Barristers, Baylor School of Law (honor given for oral advocacy skills).
• Baylor Law Interscholastic Moot Court Team, Quarter Finalist Team in William & Mary National Moot Court Tournament, Fall 1999.

Activities & Memberships

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Class of 2015
• DISD Minortiy/Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee-Vice Chair 2013-14
• National Association of Women in Construction-Member and served as Dallas Chapter President 2007-2008
• DFW Minority Supplier Diversity Council-Member and Seminar Speaker
• National Association of Credit Management (NACM)-Member and Seminar Speaker
• Leadership Texas Class of 2011, The Foundation for Women’s Resources
• Women’s Business Council Southwest – Member and serves on the Architecture Construction Engineering (ACE) Steering Committee, Power to Potential Planning Committee, BusinessWorks Planning Committee
• American Bar Association-Member of the Construction Law Forum
• Dallas Bar Association-Member of the Construction and Commercial Litigation Sections
• Dream Angels, Inc.-Board Member (charity that mentors underprivileged girls from 3rd grade through high school)
• Retina Foundation of the Southwest-Board Member (nonprofit research organization dedicated to finding cures for blinding retinal diseases)

Publications

• 2014 “Women and Minority owned businesses” Chapter 30 of Winning at Entrepreneurship – Insiders’ Tips on buying, building, and selling your own business
• 2014 “Ten Tips for Negotiating in 2014” Business Credit Magazine, Feb 2014 issue
• 2011 “Recovering Attorneys’ Fees in a Suit to Foreclose a Mechanic’s Lien Made Easier,” NACM Southwest Connection for the Credit & Financial Professional
• 2011 “I Made a Mistake in my Lien Affidavit-Could My Company Be Liable for Damages Under the Fraudulent Lien Statute?” NACM Southwest Connection for the Credit & Financial Professional
• 2008: “NAWIC – Dallas, See What You Have Been Missing,” Office & Commercial, August 2008 issue
• 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009: Co-author Manual of Credit and Commercial Laws 94th, 95th, 97th, 98th, 99th, 100th and 101st Editions– Texas section of Mechanics’ Liens chapter and Construction Bonds on Public Projects chapter (published by the National Association of Credit Management)
• 2001: “Texas Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Liens – The Basics,” Business Credit Magazine, Nov/Dec 2001 issue

Presentations

• 2016 “Essential Skills for Effective Negotiation” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2016 “Cybersecurity: Is Your Company at Risk?” National Association of Credit Management Credit & Financial Development Division
• 2016 “Essential Skills for Effective Negotiation” National Association of Credit Management – Credit Congress
• 2016 “Cybersecurity” Is Your Company at Risk?” National Association of Credit Management – Credit Congress
• 2016 “Hot Topics in Construction Law: Legislative and Case Law Update” National Association of Women in Construction
• 2015 “Suppliers Beware! Construction Contract Terms that Can Bite You” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2015 “I Would Prefer to Keep that Money: How to Avoid and Defend Against a Preference Claim” National Association of Credit Management & Financial Development Division
• 2015 “Trust, Buy Verify: How to Use Construction Trust Fund Statutes to Get Paid” National Association of Credit Management – Webinar
• 2014 “Construction Law for Subcontractors” US DOT Bonding and Access to Capital Program
• 2014 “My Salesman Did What? How Can I Fix It? National Association of Credit Management – Webinar
• 2014 “Joint Venture Agreements In Construction – The Basics” DFW Minority Supplier Diversity Council – Panel on Legal Aspects of Joint Venture
• 2014 “Can We Talk? Managing Your Edge in Negotiation” National Association of Credit Management – Credit Congress
• 2014 “There’s an App for That – A Credit App That is” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2014 “Joint Venture Agreement in Construction – The Basics” DISD Knowledge is Power Conference
• 2014 “I Knew the City was Broke, but …Bankrupt? An Overview of Chapter 9 Municipal Bankruptcy Law” National Association of Credit Management Credit & Financial Development Division
• 2014 “Mechanic’s Liens and Bond Claims and the Anti-Indemnity Statute” US DOT Bonding & Access to Capital Program
• 2014 “Joint Venture Agreements in Construction – The Basics” TxDOT Horseshoe Project – PLC Heavy Highway Training Program
• 2013 “My Salesman Did What? How Can I Fix It? National Association of Credit Management All South 2013
• 2013 “Construction Law for Construction Managers” Construction Management Association of America, North Texas Chapter
• 2013 “Joint Ventures and Strategic Partnerships” Love Field Modernization Program Capacity Building Workshop
• 2013 “The Account is Too Small for Outside Legal – What is the Next Step?” National Association of Credit Management Southwest Wholesale Lumber Group
• 2013 “The Account is Too Small for Outside Legal – What is the Next Step?” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2013 “How to Pursue a Claim in Small Claims Court – No Attorney Needed!” National Association of Credit Management – Natural Gas Group
• 2013 “Joint Venture Agreements in Construction – The Basics” DISD Knowledge is Power Conference
• 2013 “Dispute Resolution, Mechanic’s Liens and Bond claims, ” Bonding Education Program, U.S. Department of Transportation and Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
• 2013 ” Tax Exempt Status in Texas” National Association of Credit Management Southwest – Apartment Supply Group
• 2013 “Collection Lawsuits – The Rules Have Changed!!!” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2012 “There’s an App for That – A Credit App That Is” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2012 “How to Pursue a Claim in Small Claims Court – No Attorney Needed!” National Association of Credit Management Southwest – Hotel Group
• 2012 “Can We Talk? Managing Your Edge in Negotiations” Women’s Business Council Southwest – Harvesting Partnerships
• 2012: “How to Pursue a Claim in Small Claims Court – No Attorney Needed!” Credit and Financial Development Division DFW
• 2011: “Legislative Update:  New Texas Laws Impacting the Construction Industry” National Association of Women in Construction-Dallas Chapter and DFW Minority Supplier Diversity Council Construction Industry Group
• 2011: “Technology Tools for Better Credit Management: Don’t Be Left Behind,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2011:”Legal Standards: Basic Contract Issues, Legal Options When a Customer Does Not Pay, and Succession Planning” Greater Grand Prairie Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Small Business Conference
• 2011: “Legal Standards: Basic Contract Issues, Legal Options When a Customer Does Not Pay, and Succession Planning ” University of North Texas, City of Denton Small Business Conference
• 2011: “Joint Venture Agreements in Construction – The Basics,” DISD Knowledge is Power Conference
• 2011: “Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in Construction Contracts How to Make Key Provisions Work for You,” TX DOT, Dallas District Office
• 2010: “A Step-By-Step Guide to Perfecting Mechanic’s Liens and Bond Claims,” Texas Business Opportunity Program
• 2010: “Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in Construction Contracts:  How to Make Key Provisions Work for You,” Women’s Business Council – Southwest – ACE Group
• 2010: Panelist regarding Joint Ventures, Strategic Partnerships and Construction Contract Issues, Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Luna Awards Luncheon, Business Conference & Expo
• 2010: “Dispute Resolution, Mechanic’s Liens and Bond Claims,” Bonding Education Program, U.S. Department of Transportation and Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization
• 2010: “A Step-by-Step Guide to Perfecting a Mechanic’s Lien in Texas,” DFW Minority Business Counsel – Construction Industry Group
• 2010: “Make Sure Your Lien Rights are Not Lost on Pandora… Use an Avatar to file your Liens – Asserting Lien & Bond Claims in Texas,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2009: “Indemnify and Certify: The Intersection of Indemnity and Insurance Provisions in Construction Contacts,” Women’s Business Council – Southwest Power to Potential Event
• 2009: “Choosing Your Legal Entity: The Basics,” Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Luna Awards Luncheon and Business Conference
• 2009: Webinar – “Protect Your Right to Payment on Private Projects:  Mechanic’s Lien and Bond Claims”, Texas Business Opportunity Development Center, Cedar Valley College
• 2009: Webinar – “Protecting Your Right to Payment on Government Construction Projects:  How to Perfect a Payment Bond Claim on State and Federal Projects” Texas Business Opportunity Development Center, Cedar Valley College
• 2009: Webinar – “Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in Construction Contracts:  How to Make Key Provisions Work for You!”, Texas Business Opportunity Development Center, Cedar Valley College
• 2009: “New and Proposed Statutes That Will Impact Construction Contracts,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest- Homebuilders Lunch
• 2009: “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t…Make Sure Your Lien Rights are Not…Gone with the Wind – Asserting Lien & Bond Claims in Texas,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2009: “Troublesome Construction Contract Provisions and How to Modify Them – Recent Statutes Impacting Construction Contracts,” DFW Minority Business Council – Construction Industry Group
• 2009: “How to Stay Construction Savvy in an Economic Downturn,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2008: “You Shook on The Deal, Now What?  How to Identify and Modify Troublesome Contract Provisions and Improving Your Negotiation Strategy,” Power to Potential Conference Women’s Business Council Southwest
• 2008: To Lien or Not to Lien? That is the Question: Asserting Lien Claims and Bond Claims in Texas” Texas Business Opportunity Workforce Development Center – Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
• 2008: “Form of the Judgment, Duration and Revival of a Judgment and Post-Judgment Remedies,” Lorman Education Services CLE
• 2008: “Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances: Going after the Big Deals Together,” Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW Women’s Business Conference
• 2008: “Go Ahead – Make My Day, How Dirty Harry Handles Lien Claims and Bond Claims in Texas,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2008: “New Texas Law Regarding Contingent Payment Clauses in Construction Contracts,” National Association of Women in Construction Dallas Chapter
• 2008: “Killer Construction Contract Clauses and How to Modify Them,” UT Model Contractor Development Program
• 2008: “Killer Construction Contract Clauses and How to Modify Them; The Texas Prompt Payment Act,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2007: “Top Ten Things to Think About When Entering Into a Construction Contract” Hispanic Contractors Association of DFW Women’s Business Conference
• 2007: “Pirates of the Property Code:  Using Lien and Bond Claims to get the Gold,” National Association of Credit Management  Southwest
• 2006: “To Lien or Not to Lien – That is The Question: Asserting Texas Lien & Bond Claims” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2005: “Recent Mechanic’s Lien Law Changes and Interesting New Construction Law Cases” National Association of Women in Construction Dallas Chapter
• 2005: “From Da Vinci Code to Property Code:  Solving the Lien and Bond Claim Mystery” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2005: “De-Mystifying Statutory Lien & Bond Claims and the Texas Trust Fund Statute,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest – Credit  Law Update Seminar
• 2005: “Contract Formation and Modification of Indemnity and Lien Waiver Provisions in Construction Contracts,” National Association of Credit Management Statewide Construction Group
• 2004: “The Texas Trust Fund Statute:  What You Need to Know,” National Association of Women in Construction – Dallas
• 2004: “From Novice to Lord of the Liens,” National Association of Credit Management Southwest
• 2004: “Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em.  The Game of Negotiation in Litigation” National Association of Credit Management Southwest – Hotel Group
• 2003: “How to Prepare for and Give Your Deposition” National Association of Credit Management Southwest – Hotel Group
• 2003: “Credit Forms and Applications,” National Association of Credit Management – Hotel Group
• 2003: “Asserting Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Lien Claims and Payment Bond Claims in Texas,” National Association of Credit Management – Southwest
• 2003: “Do’s and Don’ts at a Deposition” Credit and Financial Development Division Conference
• 2002: “Negotiable Instruments and Collecting on Bad Checks” National Association of Credit Management –Credit Law Course