Tom was born in New Eagle, PA and raised in the Monongahela Valley near Pittsburgh. He graduated from Duquesne University in 1972 with a BA. He attended LSU law school, graduating in 1975. Tom was anxious to defend those who most needed help. Never was this more true than in the area of capital cases where lawyers who never tried a case were being appointed and paid the princely sum of $1,000, which included any expenses they may have! Although in private practice, Tom handled nearly 50 capital cases, with no death verdicts. In addition, Tom represented lawyers to bring about judicial and legislative reform of funding indigent defense and was instrumental in creating public interest law firms to provide cutting edge capital defense (Louisiana Capital Assistance Center) and the closure of abusive juvenile prisons with long term reform of the juvenile justice system (Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana). Tom's professional accomplishments have been recognized by numerous organizations. He is a Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, was named the Distinguished Louisiana Attorney in 2007 by the Louisiana State Bar Foundation, was awarded the 2007 David Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award by the Louisiana State Bar Association, Justice Albert Tate, Jr. Award in 2003 by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and its Sam Dalton Capital Defense Advocacy Award in 2000, the 2006 Professionalism Award by the Judge Albert Tate American Inn of Court, and been named to Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. Tom is a long time member of the LSBA House of Delegates, served on the Board of Governors and currently serves on the Legislative Committee of the Louisiana Bar Association. Tom also serves on the LA Law Institute Committees on the Code of Criminal Procedure and Bail Bond Reform. Tom is a member of the Louisiana and National Cattleman's Association.