James J Hickey

Education

• IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, JD, 1988
• University of Dubuque, BA, 1984

Jim is a partner in our Chicago office and sits on the firm’s Governance Group, which ensures robust decision-making across Kennedys leadership.

A respected litigator, he focuses on the representation and counsel of insurance companies in litigation and disputes involving insurance coverage issues. He has extensive experience handling insurance coverage disputes nationwide, including first- and third-party claims related to commercial liability, property, auto, professional liability, cyber risk, environmental issues, and reinsurance.

Jim has first-chair trial experience in complex coverage litigation and has served as lead negotiator in a variety of complex insurance coverage settlements. His coverage litigation experience spans claims involving catastrophic injuries, mass shootings, defective construction, mass torts, as well as emerging risks like biometrics and cryptocurrency, and policy wording. He also represents insurers in connection with coverage issues arising in the context of bankruptcy proceedings involving debtors facing overwhelming losses from mass tort liability claims.

Jim  counsels foreign and domestic insurers and corporations regarding on the application of US sanctions, tariffs and other regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and anti-corruption laws. He serves as the head of Kennedys’ US offices’ sanctions/tariffs practice.

Jim also defends construction industry clients/insureds in litigation involving allegations of defective construction, catastrophic personal injury and/or workplace injury claims. Jim represents global food companies in domestic and international commercial disputes. He also advises corporate clients on commercial litigation, compliance, and employment matters. As lead counsel in cross-border acquisitions, he has led teams across the US and Europe, in matters involving corporate, employment, property, and health and safety law.

Prior to law school, Jim worked in the Chicago office of the US Federal Bureau of Investigations where he participated in investigations of public and judicial corruption and fraud, as well as communications on Bureau operations.