Tom has litigated cases before Virginia trial courts, the Virginia Court of Appeals, the Virginia Supreme Court, federal trial courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and administrative agencies along the East Coast. He has successfully advised and defended maritime and construction clients on numerous matters, including, but not limited to marine terminal operations, maritime contracts, seaman injuries, cargo claims, oil spills, federal and state workers' compensation claims, fisheries disputes, and recreational boating accidents. He also represents surety companies in probate and a mutual fund established by the Commonwealth of Virginia to defend Virginia companies entangled in products liability, personal injury, and premises liability actions during the insolvency of their insurance carriers.
Tom earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia, which provided him the opportunities to complete programs at the University of London and the McIntire Business Institute. He earned his J.D. from The College of William & Mary School of Law. Tom served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Lydia C. Taylor, Norfolk Circuit Court. He is licensed to practice in Virginia and is a member of the Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Bar Associations, the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Maritime Association, the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, and the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Virginia and federal administrative forums along the East Coast.
Tom serves on the board of Colonna's Shipyard, Inc. and also volunteers his time as a Sunday school teacher for the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard and as a member of the Parent Advisory Committee of the Norfolk Academy. He was selected as one of Hampton Roads' Top Forty Under 40 for 2008 by Inside Business magazine. He is the 2008 recipient of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association's prestigious Walter E. Hoffman Community Service Award, and completed the Leadership Hampton Roads program in 2004.
Notable Accomplishments
• Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association's Walter E. Hoffman Award - 2008
• Inside Business's Top 40 under 40 - 2008
• Leadership Hampton Roads - 2004
Representative Matters
• Represented marine terminal operator in multiple multi-million dollar actions concerning operations of Virginia's ports.
• Represented several vessel owners in multi-million dollar Jones Act and unseaworthiness claims.
• Represented commercial fishing association in several National Marine Fisheries claims.
• Represented marine construction company in several federal and state workers' compensation claims.
• Represented state created insurance mutual fund in products liability, personal injury, and premise liability claims.
• Represented estate surety in multiple probate matters.
• Represented landlord in defense of multi-million dollar lead paint claim.
Professional & Community Activities
• Serves on the board of Colonna's Shipyard, Inc.
• Maritime Law Association of the United States
• Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute
• Virginia Maritime Association
• Virginia State Bar
• Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association
Select Publications
• The Best Lawyers in America 2014 Lists 23 Vandeventer Black Attorneys
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