Overview

Tom represents employers in complex employment litigation and provides strategic guidance on a wide range of workplace issues.

He has extensive experience defending clients in Cal/OSHA compliance matters, wage-and-hour class actions, trade secret litigation, PAGA claims, discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, unfair competition, and other business torts. Tom is known for his ability to strategically position clients to achieve their goals, ensuring they are well-informed and prepared to navigate any legal challenges.

Tom’s in-depth knowledge of Cal/OSHA compliance sets him apart. As a former legal counsel for the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board, he offers clients tailored, practical advice on California’s OSHA laws and requirements. Tom has successfully defended companies against serious and fatality-related citations and has a proven track record in multi-day hearings. His negotiation skills are also highly valued, as he has successfully secured favorable settlements with both Cal/OSHA and Fed/OSHA.

Before pursuing his legal career, Tom served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, completing his training at the Virginia Military Institute and Navy Nuclear Power School. He served on destroyers and aircraft carriers, including the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), where he gained leadership and technical expertise. This experience, combined with his legal background, makes Tom a dedicated advocate for employers navigating complex workplace regulations and disputes.

Credentials

Education

Loyola Law School at Los Angeles

  • J.D., 2010
  • Judicial Extern to the Honorable Philip S. Gutierrez, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2009

Defense Language Institute (DLI)

  • Military Linguist Certificate, 2003-2004

Navy Nuclear Power School and Training Command (NNPTC)

  • Graduate Officer Course, 2000
  • Achieved Navy Nuclear Engineer Certification, 2001

Virginia Military Institute (VMI)

  • B.S., Computer Science/Math, with distinction, 1996

Media

Professional & Civic Associations

Professional

  • Orange County Bar Association, Member
  • First Honors Award, Technology and Privacy Law
  • Selected for U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), Spring 2011

Admissions

  • California, 2010

"The best confidence builder is experience."

Star Wars
Jump to Page

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP Cookie Preference Center

Your Privacy

When using this website, Constangy and certain third parties may collect and use cookies or similar technologies to enhance your experience. These technologies may collect information about your device, activity on our website, and preferences. Some cookies are essential to site functionality, while others help us analyze performance and usage trends to improve our content and features.

Please note that if you return to this website from a different browser or device, you may need to reselect your cookie preferences.

For more information about our privacy practices, including your rights and choices, please see our Privacy Policy. 

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Always Active

Strictly Necessary Cookies are essential for the website to function, and cannot be turned off. We use this type of cookie for purposes such as security, network management, and accessibility. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but if you do so, some parts of the site will not work. 

Functionality Cookies

Always Active

Functionality Cookies are used to enhance the functionality and personalization of this website. These cookies support features like embedded content (such as video or audio), keyword search highlighting, and remembering your preferences across pages—for example, your cookie choices or form inputs during submission.

Some of these cookies are managed by third-party service providers whose features are embedded on our site. These cookies do not store personal information and are necessary for certain site features to work properly.

Performance Cookies

Performance cookies help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage. We access and process information from these cookies at an aggregate level.

Powered by Firmseek