Mr. Douglas is the former Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. where he was employed for over eleven years until opening his own practice in March 1998. Although he is perhaps best known for his successful work as the Coordinator of O.J. Simpson’s criminal defense team, Mr. Douglas now represents plaintiffs in state and federal courts in his diverse civil litigation practice. His work as a member of O.J. Simpson’s criminal defense “Dream Team” was prominently featured in ESPN’s 30 for 30 critically acclaimed, Academy Award winning documentary, O.J.: Made In America.
While he was employed at Mr. Cochran’s offices, Mr. Douglas represented scores of clients and tried dozens of cases to verdict, in a wide array of personal injury, civil rights, and criminal law matters.
Besides Mr. Simpson, Mr. Douglas has represented a broad cross section of celebrity athletes and entertainers in several high and low profile matters including Michael Jackson, Jamie Fox, and Queen Latifah.
Since opening his own firm, Mr. Douglas has enjoyed unprecedented success as well. He represented the lead plaintiff in Patricia Anderson v. General Motors Corporation, a product liability trial where the jury returned a $4.9 billion dollar verdict, which was then the largest personal injury verdict ever awarded in United States history. He later served as the lead counsel in a seven-week trial against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, concerning the police death of an unarmed African-American man which returned a Plaintiffs’ verdict of $8 million. His firm currently represent dozens of families across the country in wrongful death and civil rights maters whose lives have been impacted by the wrongful conduct of law enforcement officers.
Recently, Mr. Douglas was retained to represent the family of Jonathan Hart, an unarmed gay, homeless, African-American man in a $525 million lawsuit against Walgreens over Mr. Hart’s tragic death at the hands of an armed security guard who has been charged with second degree murder. In addition, Mr. Douglas successfully defended Dr. Melina Abdullah, the head of the Department of Pan-African Studies at Cal. State University Los Angeles, and one of the founders of Black Lives Matter – Los Angeles, who faced eight criminal charges stemming her political protests at Los Angeles Police Commission meetings. Moreover, Mr. Douglas has been retained to represent the mother of Elijah Clayton, who was shot and killed last year while participating in a John Madden Football Gaming Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1994 and again in 1999, Mr. Douglas was honored as the “Loren Miller Lawyer of the Year” by the John M. Langston Bar Association. He became only the second attorney in the more than 75 year history of that Association to be awarded that coveted honor twice.
Prior to joining Mr. Cochran’s office, Mr. Douglas was employed for over five years as a trial attorney at the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Los Angeles, where he represented indigent defendants charged with various federal crimes including bank robbery, drug possession, and white collar fraud. He began his legal career working at the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. analyzing tariff changes filed by various satellite companies in the Commission’s Common Carrier Bureau.
Mr. Douglas earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and his law degree from Berkeley Law, at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a frequent lecturer and motivational speaker at community based and legal seminars across the country and has served as a legal commentator on various radio and television programs throughout the nation.
Mr. Hicks’ civil litigation experience involves civil rights, wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, employment and police misconduct cases. He also has tried numerous felony and misdemeanor criminal cases to verdict including murder, driving under the influence, and drug and gun possession charges.
He has the unique experience of litigating both civil and criminal matters in federal and state courts. In 2020, he settled a wrongful death case for $5 million dollars arising out of a tragic car accident in Alameda, California. In 2019, he achieved a $1.5 million verdict with Engelman Law against a large residential management company for disability discrimination. In 2018, he achieved a $783,000 verdict for the Superintendent of El Monte Unified School District for retaliation. Prior to that verdict, he received a Not Guilty verdict in a Special Circumstances Murder trial. In 2015, he obtained a Not Guilty verdict in a high-profile case where he represented a celebrity esthetician charged with solicitation for murder. In 2018, he settled her civil matter for $275,000. In 2014, he successfully argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the same year, he was also co- counsel on a legal team that obtained a $8.0 million dollar wrongful death verdict against the Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Department. In 2012, he obtained a $1.3 million dollar wrongful death verdict in Long Beach Court. He prides himself on representing David against Goliath.
In addition to practicing law, Mr. Hicks was hired as the youngest member of the adjunct faculty at Loyola Law School as a Trial Advocacy Professor. He is also an adjunct professor at West Los Angeles Law School, where he teaches classes on Evidence. For four years, he coached Loyola’s #4 nationally ranked Byrne Trial Advocacy Team. He currently serves as a guest lecturer teaching trial skills to law and high school students.
Mr. Hicks also participates on and helps organize numerous panels on criminal law, professional development, and other issues relevant to the legal community at various Los Angeles area law schools and community organizations. He has also been quoted and profiled in numerous newspaper publications including LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, CNN, Entertainment News, OC Register and Press enterprise.
Mr. Hicks serves on various professional, educational and community boards. In 2009, Mr. Hicks served as President for the John M. Langston Bar Association, where he was elected as the youngest president in the Association’s history. In 2012, he was elected as the youngest ever President of the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL). For his outstanding leadership and dedication, Mr. Hicks received the CABL’s President’s Award at the completion of his term. He is a member of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), Multi-Cultural Bar Association (MCBA), Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (LAJCC) and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (KAY). He is also a member of the prestigious LA Chapter of 100 Black Men. Mr. Hicks was selected as National Bar Association and IMPACT’s Inaugural 2010 Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40.
Her practice areas include Civil Rights litigation, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Employment and Family Law. A’ja’s celebrity clients include the Estate of Michael Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, DMX, Keyshia Cole, Freddie Gibbs, Vince Staples, and Earl Sweatshirt. A’ja’s notable results include a wrongful termination jury verdict of 1 million dollars, several six figure settlements for excessive force cases and persona injury clients, and a not guilty jury verdict for a client falsely accused of murder.
While in law school, Bianca served on the board of La Raza de Loyola as Community Service Chair, and on the board of Loyola’s National Lawyers Guild chapter as President. She was a member of Loyola’s International Law Review, serving as Chief Articles Editor her 3L year. Bianca is also a proud alum of Loyola’s Hispanic Moot Court Team, where her team scored in the top 8 of 32 teams when they competed in The Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition in 2019.
Bianca’s practice areas include employment discrimination, civil rights, and criminal defense. In her time as an attorney, she has already litigated cases resulting in a $510,000 settlement against the Tamapais Unified School District and a $300,000 settlement against the Dublin Unified School District.
Kristen attended Loyola Marymount University where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a double minor in African American Studies and English. She is also a Certified Legal Assistant and received her certification from the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Kristen’s educational background paired with her work experience prove that she is equipped to handle a variety of firm and client needs.
Kristen is a member of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), an active Notary Public, and a member of the National Notary Association (NNA).