Hicks Epton was born in Arkansas, graduated from Southeastern State College (now Southeastern Oklahoma State University) before earning his Law degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1932, and moved to Wewoka, Oklahoma, to begin his 40-year practice of law. He was noted for his courtroom ability and served four years as chairman of the board of Admissions of the Oklahoma Bar. He was president of the Oklahoma Bar Association in 1953 and of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation from 1953 through 1958. Epton was a member of the National Conference of Commissioners for Uniform State Laws from 1945 through 1959, having been appointed by four governors. One of the three attorneys selected to the Oklahoma commission investigating alleged bribes of Oklahoma Supreme Court Justices in 1964 and 1965, he was also a member of the American Bar Association committee on professional grievances and the creator of “Law Day” at OU, which became nationally known as “Law Day – USA.” In 1971, he began serving as president of the American College of Trial Lawyers and was active with the Red Cross and the Scouting program, as well as a trustee of Oklahoma Baptist University.