Ryan K. Hicks is a member attorney at Cromer Babb Porter & Hicks, LLC. Ryan’s practice focuses on employment law, business litigation, negligence claims involving school districts, and the representation of law enforcement officers. Ryan is also skilled in administrative matters, including, but not limited to, matters before the Administrative Law Court, and appeals. He strives for honesty in representing both prospective clients and clients alike, and believes that candid advice is deserved and necessary in zealous representation.

Ryan’s employment practice focuses on various legal claims, including discrimination (race, gender, disaiblity, religion, etc.), harassment, retaliation, constructive discharge, public policy discharge, family medical leave, wages claims (under both the Fair Labor Standards Act and South Carolina Payment of Wages Act), and civil torts. These claims are used to represent both public and privates employees, in both State and Federal courts. Ryan’s practice also includes representing clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and/or South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (“SCHAC”). He also regularly represents state and local government employees in pre-suit grievance processes and in subsequent litigation, and has even represented federal employees in equal employment opportunity (“EEO”) matters. A portion of Ryan’s practice is also devoted to reprensenting law enforcement personnel in employment litigation matters as well as certification matters before the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council. In addition to his employment practice, Ryan also handles school district negligence cases, construction litigation, and other civil matters.

Ryan regularly works cases from start to finish, beginning with pre-suit negotiations, through the ligitation process, including discovery, to trial, and even appeals. Ryan has tried several employment cases to a verdict, and his trial work also includes representing criminal defendants at trial.

Ryan is a South Carolina native, and a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he received a B.A. in Political Science in 2009. He went on to graduate from the Florida Coastal School of Law, with honors, in 2012, where he was a Dean’s Scholar and recipient of the Governor’s Merit Scholarship. Ryan also attended the University of South Carolina School of Law as a visiting student. During law school, Ryan clerked for a law firm whose primary practice area included civil litigation and association representation. He also gained invaluable experience in the areas of criminal defense, contract dispute(s), and construction litigation.

Ryan began working for J. Lewis Cromer & Associates as an associate attorney in June 2013. Lewis Cromer, Jay Babb, Paul Porter, and Ryan formed Cromer Babb Porter & Hicks, LLC in January 2017.

Ryan currently lives in nearby Lexington with his wife, Shannon, and their two children, Kyleigh and Beckham. When not in the office, Ryan spends his time with his family, on Lake Murray, in the outdoors hunting and fishing, or competing in triathlons.

*Every case is different and no result can be guaranteed.

• South Carolina State Courts
• United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
• United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Memberships

• American Bar Association 
• South Carolina Bar Association
• South Carolina Bar, Employment and Labor Law Section
• Richland County Bar Association
• American Association for Justice
• South Carolina Association for Justice (South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association)
• Southern Trial Lawyers Association 

Awards

• South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – 2016
• Columbia Living Magazine, Top Lawyers in South Carolina Rising Stars – 2016
• South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – 2017
• Columbia Living Magazine, Top Lawyers in South Carolina Rising Stars – 2017
• South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – 2018
• Columbia Living Magazine, Top Lawyers in South Carolina Rising Stars – 2018
• South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – 2019