Thomas Hickey is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP where he focuses his practice in the areas of investment management, especially in regards to public employee pension plans, including registered fund of hedge funds, domestic and off-shore hedge funds and separately managed accounts, as well as applicable compliance, performance reporting and industry standards of practice. He has also consulted on pension planning for professional associations and organizations and provided advice to investment managers, venture capitalists and real estate partnerships on public pension law, compliance and regulatory procedures. He is a member of Foley’s Private Equity & Venture Capital and Finance & Financial Institutions Practices.
Mr. Hickey is ranked as a leading lawyer in Legal 500 U.S. 2009 in the Investment Fund Formation and Management practice, where he is described as "the best of the best" and "smart, creative and forward-thinking." He has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system.
Prior to joining Foley, Mr. Hickey was a partner at K&L Gates LLP. While in law school, he assisted state legislatures throughout the country in drafting and implementation of governmental pension plans, especially in the area of fiduciary and investment standards. Upon graduation, Mr. Hickey served as legal counsel to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Service and the Massachusetts Retirement Law Commission. He has continued these efforts throughout his legal career serving as counsel to public funds, trustees, investment management professionals and related fund complexes.
Mr. Hickey has provided pro bono advice to numerous civic groups and public employee organizations throughout his career. He provided advice regarding the creation of the Massachusetts Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial which was dedicated on September 11, 2007.
Mr. Hickey is a member of the American Bar Association, Boston Bar Association and Massachusetts Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Mr. Hickey received his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School (1976) and his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross (1973).
Speaking Engagements:
- "Avoiding Regret: Dealing with FINRA Investor Eligibility Certificates and Other Issues Relating to Alternative Investments," California Association of Public Retirement Systems (CALAPRS) Attorneys' Roundtable, June 2012
- "Avoiding Regret: A Baker's Dozen of Questions Fiduciaries Should Ask Prospective Alternative Manager," State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS) Conference, May 2012
- "Developing Federal Influence on Local Public Pensions," State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS) Conference, May 2011
- "Evolutions in the Alternative Investment Funds Space – The New Paradigm," Maples Investment Funds Forum (panel) February 2011
- Financial Reform Legislation – California Association Public Retirement Systems Attorneys’ Roundtable June 2010
- "Relevant Federal Legislation Update and Related Matters," State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS), May 2010
- "Federal Legislative Update and Bail Out Bill Update," State Association of Country Retirement Systems (SACRS) Conference, May 2009
- "Federal Legislation Update: The Bailout Bill – How it Affects California’s 37 Act Systems," State Association of Country Retirement Systems (SACRS) Conference, November 2008
- "Some Fiduciary Lessons Learned From Experience – Monitoring Alternative Investments," NAPPA 2008 Winter Section Meeting, Washington, D.C., February 2008
- "Drafting Side Letters – Hedge Funds and Fund of Funds," California Association of Public Retirement Systems (CALAPRS) Attorney’s Roundtable, Ontario, CA, September 2006
- "Advanced Asset Raising Strategies," Infovest21 Conference, London, May 2006
- "GASB 43 & 45: A Legal and Legislative National Perspective," State Association of Country Retirement Systems (SACRS), California, February 2006
- "Institutional Investor Due Diligence: Selecting Hedge Funds," 7th Annual Public Funds Summit, Arizona, 2006
- "The Hedge Fund Industry in 2006: Which Way Now?," Financial News, London, December 2005
- "Hedge Fund Industry," Financial Roundtable, London, November 2005
- "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Impact on Public Employee Retirement Systems," State Association of Country Retirement Systems (SACRS), California, November 2004
- "Institutional Investor Due Diligence: Selecting a Fund of Funds," Institute for International Research – 11th Annual Hedge Fund Forum, New York, 2004
- "Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures For Public Pension Plans," Meeting with Marin County Retirement Association, California, 2004
- "Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures for Small to Mid-Sized Public Pension Plans," Fire & Police Pension Summit, Texas, 2004
- "The Institutional Investor – The Blue Ribbon Panel Opines," 3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Hedge Fund Symposium, Arizona, 2004
- "Different Venture Capital Funds: Recent Negotiations between General Partners and Potential Investors as well as Three Current Legal Issues," 5th Annual Endowment Foundation Forum, Massachusetts, 2003
- "Recent Developments in Funds of Funds," Blue Ribbon Hedge Fund Symposium, New York, 2003
- "Hedge Funds for Public Pension Plans: Trends and Issues," California Association of Public Retirement Systems (CALAPRS) 2003 General Assembly, California, 2003
- "Hedge Funds for Public Pension Plans: Trends and Issues," 2003
- "Blue Ribbon Hedge Funds Symposium," presented by the Strategic Research Institute, Arizona, 2003
- "Instituting Competency Based Pay Systems For Public Funds Investment Staff," Public & Private Pension Investing & Administration: Issuing in a New Era of Fund Governance, presented by the Strategic Research Institute, Arizona, 2003
- "Effect on ADA on Public Retirement Systems," 4th Annual Conference on Controlling Disability Payments in the Public Pension Fund presented by the Institute for International Research, Washington, D.C., 2002
- "An Overview of the Pension Plan and Benefits in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Trustees Educational Conferences and Seminars, California, 2001