David Hricik Retires After Distinguished Career
After a distinguished 24-year career at Mercer University School of Law, Professor David Hricik has retired. Hricik joined Mercer Law in 2002 and has been a cornerstone of our community—teaching legal ethics, intellectual property law, federal civil procedure, and more, while contributing influential scholarship and national leadership in ethics and technology.
A Tucson native, Hricik earned his B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in English from the University of Arizona and his J.D., with honors, from Northwestern University School of Law. Before coming to Mercer, he litigated at Baker Botts and other Texas firms from 1988 to 2002. He clerked for Chief Judge Randall R. Rader at the Federal Circuit (2012–13), served of counsel to Taylor English Duma, LLP, and has continued to consult, teach CLEs, and serve as an expert witness.
Hricik’s scholarship and service are wide-ranging: he is the author and co-author of leading treatises on ethics in patent litigation and prosecution, has written dozens of articles adopted by state and federal courts, lectured extensively on AI’s role in law, and begun authorship of Georgia Law of Torts. He was elected to the American Law Institute in 2016 and named a Fellow of the American Intellectual Property Law Association in 2019. He is a registered neutral in Georgia and licensed in Texas and Georgia and co-authors the regular column “Writing Matters” with Dean Karen J. Sneddon for the Georgia Bar Journal.
Hricik shared what shaped his path: he “saw legislation in action” while working in the Arizona State Senate and, through campaign work and mentorship, “began to understand the odd nature of our common law system.” Reflecting on the move from practice to teaching, he said, “I liked practicing law. I loved teaching.” Asked why he came to Mercer, he noted it “was a good fit” at a time when “family time and quality of life were very important.”
On teaching, Hricik emphasized practical learning, saying the most satisfying part of his work has been “knowing that I have brought practical knowledge and thinking to the classroom.” He urged students to remember that the law is not abstract. It is “about a client who is relying on that lawyer to do right by him or her.”
Brian Jasper, ’11, an attorney with Thomas Law Offices, PLLC in Prospect, Kentucky, said, “I always enjoyed Professor Hricik’s classes. His humor and communication style were perfect for this non-traditional student. He was real and I truly came to appreciate his methods and philosophy when I became a civil litigator and trial lawyer. His experience as a trial lawyer and expert witness gave him the ability to teach us how law is REALLY practiced. I honestly felt like he prepared me to jump right into my job litigating nursing home abuse and neglect cases after graduation. We were really lucky to have him.”
According to Shreya Shah, ’22, a litigation associate at Watstein Terepka, LLP, Professor David Hricik was one of the most influential professors she had at Mercer Law, and “I feel incredibly fortunate to have been his student. He had a remarkable ability to make complex legal concepts come alive through memorable examples, demonstrations, and stories.”
Shah said Hricik held his students to a high standard and expected them to take their legal education seriously. “But beneath that was a professor who genuinely cared about his students and wanted each of us to succeed. He challenged us because he believed we were capable of more, and that confidence stayed with me long after I left his classroom.”
Shah said that some of her favorite memories happened outside the classroom. Professor Hricik and his partner Lisa regularly opened their home to students, hosting backyard gatherings with live local musicians where everyone could relax, share a drink, talk about the law, and get to know one another as future colleagues. Those evenings, Shah said, reflected who he was at his core—a professor who believed that legal education was about building a community, not just teaching doctrine.
“Looking back, Professor Hricik taught me far more than tort law,” said Shah. “He taught professionalism, accountability, and the importance of taking our responsibilities as future lawyers seriously, while never losing our sense of humor or humanity. I truly would not be the attorney I am today without his influence, mentorship, and example. I will always be grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him.”
Please join us in thanking Professor David Hricik for his extraordinary service, scholarship, and commitment to students. His thoughtful teaching, influential writing, and leadership in matters at the intersection of ethics, technology, and intellectual property have left an enduring mark on Mercer Law. We wish him fulfillment in whatever the next chapter brings.
