Aaron Hicks Honored as OCTLA’s “Top Gun Trial Attorney of the Year”
Hicks Law Firm is proud to announce that founder and trial attorney Aaron Hicks has been honored by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA) with its prestigious 2026 “Top Gun Trial Attorney of the Year” award for personal injury, recognizing his work in a heavily contested premises liability trial that resulted in a $5.34 million jury verdict for an injured client. Read more about the case here.
Hicks tried the case alongside co-counsel Nico Mamone of Bentley & More, with the jury ultimately returning a verdict of $5,343,672 in favor of the plaintiff.
The award represents a particularly meaningful honor for Hicks because it recognizes not simply the monetary result achieved, but the detailed trial work required to obtain justice in a case where liability and causation were vigorously disputed.
Recognition from Orange County’s Trial Lawyer Community
Founded in 1963, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association has become one of Orange County’s most prominent legal organizations and is dedicated to advocacy, trial-lawyer education and protecting access to the civil justice system. OCTLA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year recognition celebrates exceptional achievement in the courtroom and the attorneys who successfully advocate for injured individuals through the civil jury system.
For Hicks, receiving the award carries additional significance because of his longstanding involvement with OCTLA. He previously served as President of OCTLA in 2025 and remains active in the organization and the broader plaintiffs’ trial bar.
“To be recognized by fellow trial lawyers is an incredible honor,” Hicks said. “There are so many outstanding attorneys in OCTLA who dedicate their careers to representing people whose lives have been changed by serious injuries. To receive this recognition from that community means a great deal to me.”
Hicks also emphasized that the recognition belongs in significant part to his co-counsel Nico Mamone and the team responsible for presenting the case to the jury.
A Heavily Contested Premises Liability Trial
The case arose from a trip-and-fall incident inside a Food4Less store in Los Angeles. The plaintiff encountered a pallet and cooler display positioned in front of merchandise on the sales floor. While attempting to access a case of beer, she tripped over the display and fell.
The injuries were serious. The plaintiff ultimately underwent a two-level lumbar spinal fusion and was subsequently diagnosed with adjacent segment disease, resulting in the need for additional future medical care.
Food4Less denied responsibility throughout the litigation and trial. The defense disputed negligence and causation and contended that the condition of the display was not unsafe. It further argued that the plaintiff’s own actions, rather than the store display, caused her fall.
That made the case considerably different from one in which liability was conceded and the jury was asked primarily to determine damages.
Hicks and Mamone instead had to prove the underlying negligence case.
Through testimony from store employees and the company’s Person Most Knowledgeable, the plaintiff’s trial team presented evidence that the store had failed to follow its own safety policies regarding displays on the sales floor. The jury ultimately agreed that the unsafe condition was a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s injuries.
Following the contested trial, the jury returned a total verdict of $5,343,672, including compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost earnings and past and future non-economic damages.
An Award That Recognizes the Work Behind the Verdict
While a multimillion-dollar verdict is significant, Hicks views the OCTLA Top Gun Trial Attorney of the Year award as recognition of something broader: the preparation, advocacy and perseverance required to successfully present a disputed case to a jury.
Trial lawyers frequently face defendants and insurance companies that challenge virtually every aspect of an injured person’s claim – from how an incident occurred to whether a dangerous condition existed, whether that condition caused the injuries, and the extent of the damages suffered.
Cases such as this require attorneys to develop the evidence, examine witnesses, confront competing narratives and ultimately give jurors the information they need to determine what happened and who should be held accountable.
That is why recognition from a trial-lawyer organization such as OCTLA carries particular meaning.
OCTLA is one of Orange County’s most established trial lawyer organizations and describes its mission as promoting advocacy for individuals and access to civil justice while providing education, training and the collective resources of the trial-lawyer community.
The organization has also described its annual Top Gun awards program as an opportunity to honor excellence among trial attorneys.
For Hicks, the award is both a professional distinction and a reminder of the purpose behind taking difficult personal injury cases to trial.
“At the end of the day, this case was about our client,” Hicks said. “She suffered serious injuries, and responsibility for what happened was disputed. Our job was to put the evidence before the jury and give her the strongest possible opportunity to obtain justice. Having fellow trial lawyers recognize that work is something I am deeply grateful for.”
About Aaron Hicks
Aaron Hicks is the founder of Hicks Law Firm and a civil trial attorney representing plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death matters. His practice includes catastrophic injury, premises liability, automobile and trucking accidents, product liability, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and other serious injury cases. He has successfully taken numerous cases through jury trial and binding arbitration.
Hicks served as President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association in 2025 and has previously received OCTLA’s Member of the Year and Board Member of the Year awards. His other professional recognition includes AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®, selection to Southern California Super Lawyers and recognition by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
The $5.34 million premises liability verdict is among several multimillion-dollar results obtained by Hicks Law Firm on behalf of injured clients.
Hicks Law Firm congratulates Aaron Hicks and co-counsel Nico Mamone on an exceptional trial result and this distinguished recognition from the Orange County trial-lawyer community.
Aaron Hicks is a civil trial attorney and founder of Hicks Law Firm, based in Orange County with offices in San Diego and Tennessee. His practice includes representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, dog bites and wrongful death. Mr. Hicks is and AV Rated attorney, Super Lawyer and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association where he serves as 1st Vice President.
