Tom has been with McGuireWoods since 2005 and works out of both the Chicago and Springfield Office. He has represented clients before both the General Assembly and the Governor’s Administration.
Tom opened the Illinois McGuireWoods Consulting Office in 2005 and it has grown to be one of the largest government affairs firms in the state with capabilities to serve clients in the State Capitol and before the Governors’ Administration as well as the City of Chicago and Cook County.
Tom has been successful in passing legislation to enhance tax incentives for multiple industries. He has worked on behalf of the health insurance industry in shaping healthcare policy as well as on behalf of a variety of healthcare providers and hospitals. In addition, Tom has worked for a variety of alternative energy projects including wind power, coal mining operations, coal gasification and sequestration.
As part of his procurement practice, Tom has assisted many vendors and potential vendors of Illinois government agencies in navigating the complex procurement rules and regulations, the variety of ethics requirements and restrictions, and the State’s procurement protest procedures.
Former acting general counsel to the Office of the Governor, Tom was responsible for managing several hundred administration attorneys and outside counsel in addressing legal issues presented before the state. In addition to his legal duties, he was the Governor’s policy lead on telecommunications, electric deregulation, and prescription drugs. Prior to that, Tom was the Governor’s legislative legal counsel. In that capacity, he reviewed all legislation passed by the General Assembly for the Governor’s signature and penned the veto messages on behalf of the Office of Governor.
Tom managed his own civil litigation firm for seven years, worked for U.S. Sen. Richard J. Durbin when Senator Durbin was a member of the House of Representatives, and served as legal counsel to the Illinois Senate. In 1996, Tom was a candidate for the Illinois State Senate in the 50th District.
McGuireWoods Consulting’s bipartisan team in Illinois is well-positioned to represent clients before the executive and legislative branches, the City of Chicago and Cook County, and able to deliver direct lobbying services as well as grassroots and communications services that are part of a comprehensive public affairs strategy.
McGuireWoods Consulting LLC (“MWC”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the McGuireWoods LLP law firm. From time to time, various McGuireWoods lawyers provide non-legal services to MWC clients, but MWC cannot provide legal services or advice. Therefore, any work MWC performs for a client does not give rise to an attorney-client relationship or privilege. Should you require legal services from McGuireWoods, as well as consulting services from MWC, you must engage the law firm separately.
- Notre Dame Law SchoolJD1992
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The Citadel, The Military College of South CarolinaBA
with Honors
1989
Member, Illinois State Bar Association
Member, Sangamon County Bar Association
Member, Government Bar Association
Board Member, Catholic Charities, 2005-2008
Board Member, Sojourn Center for Women, 2001-2004
Member, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1995-2003
- Author, Illinois Election Summary, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC, November 10, 2016
- Illinois
- Speaker, "State and Federal Policy Changes Impacting Healthcare Markets," 17th Annual Healthcare Private Equity & Finance Conference, February 19-20, 2020
- Moderator, "State Government Focused Panel," 12th Annual Healthcare and Life Sciences Private Equity and Finance Conference, February 18, 2015