Tom counsels and litigates in all aspects of environmental law, including air, water, hazardous waste, Superfund, and natural resource damages. He assists clients in negotiating and obtaining environmental permits from state and federal environmental agencies and defending these permits from legal challenges. His practice includes significant focus on Clean Air Act permitting and enforcement, including new source review, Title V operating permits, and hazardous air pollutants. Tom works with clients in a broad range of industries, including utility; cement; agricultural products; and chemical manufacturing. Tom's environmental litigation experience includes successful arguments in federal and state courts of appeal. In addition, Tom counsels clients on occupational health and safety issues and OSHA compliance.

Tom has been included in the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 editions of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and the 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions of The Best Lawyers in America. He currently chairs the firm's Search Committee.

Tom's recent experience includes:

• defending an international paper manufacturer against CERCLA contribution and cost recovery claim related to PCB contamination;
• successfully defending a PSD construction permit for a utility power plant against challenges by the Sierra Club;
• litigating an appeal of BACT limits in a construction permit for an oil extraction facility;
• coordinating multi-facility responses to U.S. EPA Clean Air Act Requests for Information for compliance with New Source Review and MACT requirements;
• defending municipal wastewater agencies in Clean Water Act enforcement actions;
• coordinating a Fortune 500 chemical manufacturer's national toxic tort and CERCLA litigation;
• defending mining companies against claims for natural resource damages by federal, state and tribal governments.

Tom began his career as an assistant attorney general in the Ohio Attorney General’s environmental enforcement section, representing the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in civil and criminal enforcement, permitting and regulatory development.

"2011 Environmental Regulatory Update," American Meat Institute Annual Environmental Conference, March 2011.

"EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule Developments," Air & Waste Management Association - Midwest Section, Annual Conference, January 2011.

“Climate Change: Regulation Through Litigation,” Kansas City Agribusiness Counsel, January 2010.

"Environmental Regulatory Update," American Meat Institute Annual Environmental Conference, April 2008.

“New Source Review Developments,” Air & Waste Management Association - Midwest Section, Annual Conference, January 2007.

“Hazardous Air Pollutants and MACT 101,” Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Annual Environmental Conference, July 2006.

Co-author, Environmental Compliance, Chapter 3 in Missouri Environmental Law (2002 2nd ed., supp.).

Air & Waste Management Association, Midwest Chapter, Chair (2006-2007)
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
The Missouri Bar, Environmental Law Committee
The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Seton Center Family & Health Services, Board of Trustees

Tom is admitted to practice before the state courts of Missouri and Ohio; the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Missouri and the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio; and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Eighth and District of Columbia Circuits.

1992   J.D., Ohio State University

1989   B.A., Northwestern University