Julia M. Hilliker

Julia focuses her practice on trial work and complex litigation. Her areas of focus include business disputes and resulting litigation, environmental litigation, products liability, school district litigation, and employment litigation. She regularly counsels businesses in resolving disputes among management and has litigated various business dissolution matters.

 In 2016, she successfully represented minority shareholders who were oppressed in petitioning for dissolution of the corporations. In the environmental context, she has successfully challenged the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Article 78 proceedings. She has represented an agricultural chemical company in litigation over selection of RCRA corrective action for arsenic in soils. She also recently secured summary judgment on behalf of a Fortune 1000 company after it was sued by numerous local residents alleging that toxic exposure to the company's operations caused personal injury and property damage claims. She also frequently handles appeals and recently successfully argued an issue of first impression regarding the labor law to New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals. In addition, Julia advises international clients on product liability and insurance issues for manufacturers and distributors wishing to enter the U.S. market.

Julia regularly speaks at CLEs on various topics, including the firm’s annual school conference and labor law matters. Julia’s past experiences include an internship at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York as well as employment at Housing Opportunities Made Equal, an organization dedicated to the enforcement of federal and state laws prohibiting housing discrimination. Julia was also previously awarded a two-year research fellowship with the Department of Human Resources for the City of Buffalo, where she assisted in disciplinary hearings, general grievances, and contract negotiations.

• Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants) 2023 - 2024
• Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers (Business Litigation) 2022 - 2023
• Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars, (Business Litigation) 2013 - 2021
• Listed, Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite of Western New York, 2013 - 2014, 2019 - 2020
• Buffalo Business First's 40 Under 40, 2018
• Buffalo Business First's Who's Who in Law 2012
• Former symposium editor, Notre Dame Law Review
• Member, Notre Dame trial team
• Moot-Court First Speaker Award
• Full fellowship recipient, University of Notre Dame Law School
• Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity
• Canisius Raichle Scholar
• Canisius Dillon Scholar
• Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society
• Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society
• Alpha Sigma Nu National Jesuit Honor Society

Julia is a member of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and a graduate of the organization's intensive training program. She is also a member of the American Bar Association and Bar Association of Erie County.

Julia, a Hodgson Russ Partner, is a member of the ECMC Lifeline Foundation, Inc. board of directors, a board member of the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, co-chair of the Notre Dame Attorney Alumni Group for Western New York, co-captain of Hodgson Russ's annual Ride for Roswell team for the past decade, and a member of the Desmond Law Society at Canisius College. She has also served on the committee for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute All Star Galas from 2013 to present. Julia is a former board member of the National Kidney Foundation of Western New York. She is also involved in local recruiting efforts for the University of Notre Dame Law School.