I am an experienced lead trial and appellate attorney. For over 44 years I have tried cases as a prosecutor, then as a civil practitioner in the areas of transportation, primarily for railroads, toxic torts, civil rights and general commercial litigation in many states including Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Wisconsin and South Dakota. I have also prepared appellate briefs and presented oral arguments in numerous cases in federal and states courts including as lead attorney in 4 cases before the Illinois Supreme Court and several cases in the Seventh and Fifth Circuit Federal Courts of Appeal.

From 1981 to 1989, I served the People of the State of Illinois as an Assistant State’s Attorney. As a "first chair" lead trial attorney, I prosecuted to verdict 49 felony jury cases, including several capital cases. I completed briefs and presented oral arguments in three cases before the Illinois Supreme Court and many more in the Illinois Appellate Court. I also served as a Deputy Supervisor in the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Unit.

From 1989 to 2009 I worked at Freeborn and Peters LLC in Chicago. Over 20 years, I worked my way up from a contract associate to an owning partner of the firm. I developed a varied civil trial practice, became the lead trial attorney for some of the firm's most important clients, and tried more cases in state and federal courts than any other attorney in the firm. I participated in training the firm's attorneys in trial practice and served on the Professional Review and Equity Partner Compensation Committees.

I continued my varied civil trial practice at Daley Mohan Groble, P.C. in Chicago where, as an owning partner, I focused on claims against transportation-industry clients, civil rights cases and commercial litigation in state and federal courts.

In 2019, I became a Member at Knight Nicastro Mackay LLC. I started the firm’s Chicago Office and continued to focus on representation of railroads and other organizations in the railroad industry.

As of January 2025, I have retired from the full-time practice of law, but I have opened my own office, Law Office of Richard T. Sikes, Jr., LLC, where I continue to practice on a part-time basis. I have been a member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. I am on the Board of Directors of Helping Hand, an Illinois Not-for-Profit organization that provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they are equally valued in all communities.

Charlie Tucker is well known to the surveying community from his stint(s) as surveyor, field engineer, office engineer and roadmaster at La Junta, CO/San Bernardino and Los Angeles, CO for the Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF). With the Santa Fe, Charlie worked extensively with the survey community in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and California for 15 years on a variety of unique and interesting projects. At Santa Fe, he had participated in the construction of new lines, enlargement of tunnels, construction and oversight of public works projects, intermodal facilities as well as having been the maintenance supervisor in charge during the 1989 California “World Series Earthquakes”, the LA “King” Riots, multiple fires floods and other calamities. He has the unique experience of having worked in the design, construction, maintenance and public works disciplines within the railroad industry.

Since joining the consulting community in 1996 with Benchmark Surveying/Farnsworth Group, Charlie has worked extensively in Colorado and many other states (Washington to Maine, Illinois to Texas) working with the railroad industry, state agencies and as a railroad expert for other consultants. He has functioned as chief engineer for four startup railroads, assisting with guidance and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Tucker is a 1980 Graduate of The Ohio State University with BS in Surveying. (One of the first dozen to graduate from the program.) He also attended the University of Cincinnati’s Civil & Environmental Engineering program prior to transfer to Ohio State.

Mr. Tucker is a member of NSPS, GLIS/ACSM, PLSC (Southern & Central Chapters) & AREMA (American Railway Engineering & Maintenance Association, Committees1 (Roadway & Ballast) and Committee 18 (Shortline and Light Density Railways – Currently its chairman) Mr. Tucker has been teaching Railroad Surveying 101 as a volunteer for AREMA Committee 1 since 2000 (34 states, CDOT and BLM so far) and similar such courses as far back as 1986 for the benefit of the surveying community.