Following his graduation from Duquesne Law School, Mr. Hilko served as a law clerk to Justice Henry X. O'Brien of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  When Justice O'Brien became the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania in September 1980, Mr. Hilko was his administrative assistant and acted in that capacity until Chief Justice O'Brien retired in December of 1982.  Thereafter, Mr. Hilko served as Chief Legal Assistant to Judge Francis Barry during Judge Barry's tenure on the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.  Following Judge Barry's death in 1993, Mr. Hilko was a law clerk to Judge Rochelle Friedman, of the Commonwealth Court, until joining the firm in 1994.