Ulmer & Berne LLP is pleased to announce the additions of George Hicks and Jennifer Rieker as Counsel in its Consumer & Commercial Litigation Practice. Based in Ulmer’s Cleveland office, both attorneys join the firm from the Cleveland office of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis, LPA.

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George Hicks, Counsel, Ulmer & Berne LLP (Photo: Business Wire)

George Hicks, Counsel, Ulmer & Berne LLP (Photo: Business Wire)

“George and Jennifer are outstanding attorneys with extensive experience in consumer finance litigation and financial regulatory matters, who will fill important needs of our clients in the financial services space,” said Frances Floriano Goins, head of Ulmer’s Consumer & Commercial Litigation Practice. “This is an area in which the high caliber of our work continues to generate strong client demand, and we are thrilled to be able to offer our clients the outstanding skill and dedication of these fine attorneys.”

Hicks focuses his practice primarily on commercial litigation, particularly for clients operating in the consumer finance, commercial banking, and commercial business sectors. He has substantial experience resolving consumer and commercial litigation and complex commercial foreclosure matters for clients in federal and state courts throughout the country. A retired U.S. Navy Captain, George began his legal career as in-house counsel at First Energy, where he was heavily involved with complex commercial litigation, line contact litigation, premises liability litigation, real estate litigation, and electrical utility regulatory issues. Hicks earned his B.S. from the United States Naval Academy and his J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Monty Rieker focuses her practice on consumer finance litigation and financial compliance matters. She successfully defends and resolves cases including alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Monty Rieker also has deep experience with contested foreclosures, and in handling complex commercial matters for a broad range of clients. Monty Rieker also provides in-depth compliance services to her clients, including preparing for regulatory reviews, drafting policies and procedures, developing training programs and compliance management systems, reviewing outside vendors, and responding to regulatory examinations. Monty Rieker earned her B.A. from DePauw University and her J.D. from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Ulmer’s Consumer and Commercial Litigation Practice is a key component of the firm’s larger Financial Services and Securities Litigation Group, which provides a full range of legal services to clients throughout the financial services industry. The firm’s consumer finance attorneys provide clients with expertise in consumer finance litigation and dispute resolution, involving matters including truth-in-lending and consumer disclosure, financial privacy, credit reporting and identity theft, federal preemption, electronic delivery of consumer financial services, credit discrimination, residential and commercial real estate and secured financing, unfair or deceptive practices, deposit products and payment systems, commercial lending law, and lender liability. In addition to litigation services, attorneys in the group regularly counsel financial services clients on financial compliance and regulatory matters.

About Ulmer

At Ulmer, the focus is on exceeding client expectations and delivering superior, customized legal solutions for an exceptional value. From offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Boca Raton, the firm's attorneys serve as counselors and partners to a wide range of sophisticated clients to help them solve their complex challenges and achieve their goals. For more information, please visit Ulmer.com.