Thomas A. Forbes
Office Information
Practice Areas
Industries
Tom is a member of Butler Snow’s Regulatory and Government group. His practice is concentrated on government relations, regulatory and public affairs advice and advocacy and business transactions.
Biography – View PDF Bio
- Associations
- Bar Admissions
- Civic Involvement
- Distinctions
- Education & Honors
- Experience
- In the News
- Papers, Presentations, & Publications
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1975
- U.S. Supreme Court
Civic Involvement
- Southwestern University, Board of Trustees
- Austin Area Research Organization
- Wesleyan Homes, Inc.
- Trustee
- Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, University of Texas School of Law, First Class of Fellows
- Texas Lyceum
- Director
- University of Texas School of Architecture Advisory Council
- University of Texas McDonald Observatory Board of Visitors
- Leadership Austin
- Chair
- Travis County Children’s Advocacy Center
- Founding President
More... - Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc.
- Recipient of First Volunteer of the Year Award
- Southwestern University Alumni Association
- Citation of Merit
- State Law Resources, Inc.
- Founding Director
- Chair
Distinctions
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America®
- Administrative/Regulatory Law, 2010-2022
- Government Relations Practice, 2007-2022
- Lawyer of the Year: Government Relations Practice (Austin), 2017
- Commissioner, Legislative and Campaign Law Exam Commission, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2020-Present
Education & Honors
- Baylor University, J.D., 1975
- Phi Delta Phi
- Southwestern University, B.A., 1971
Experience
- Over 35 years’ experience representing clients in their dealings with state and federal government agencies, legislators, members of Congress, and executive branch agencies.
- Serves as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Austin Trust Company.
- Represented a Fortune 100 company regarding the siting, permitting and development of a nuclear power plant.
- Represented a Fortune 100 company developing statewide public support for a $4+ Billion liquefied natural gas export facility.
- Represented multinational energy trading company regarding doing business with various Texas generators.
- Successfully represented the British Consul General regarding legislation which would have limited state investments in companies doing business in Northern Ireland.
- Successfully represented the State of Maine, negotiating its withdrawal from an interstate compact with Texas and Vermont, including the waiving of payment of a multi-million dollar exit fee.
- Represents one of the world’s largest education assessment companies in its dealings with Texas state government.
- Represented Texas Academy of Family Physicians in legislative matters including dispensing, rural health care, access to care and other issues. More...
- Represented the Professional Advocacy Association of Texas; the state association of the governmental affairs community in legislative and regulatory matters.
- Represented one of the largest medical marijuana companies regarding its efforts to enter the Texas market.
- Represented a national industry association regarding the passage of Texas legislation legalizing hemp cultivation and the establishment of a new hemp industry in Texas.
- Represented a Texas groundwater conservation district in its dealings with the U.S. Department of Agriculture developing a multistate, regional effort to conserve groundwater, and before the Texas Legislature.
In the News
- Tom Forbes Co-Authors First Exam in U.S. to Certify Specialists in Legislative and Campaign Law
- 237 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022
- 198 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- 173 Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers® 2020, 19 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
- Texas’ Best Lawyers® Recognizes 3 Butler Snow Attorneys
- Butler Snow Selects SXSW Center for New Austin Office
- Butler Snow Continues Growth in Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee & Mississippi
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Various presentations to bar association, government and public affairs professional programs.