Thomas A. Forbes
Office Information
Practice Areas
Industries
Tom is a member of Butler Snow’s Business Department and practices in the 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, 2010-2021
- Government Relations Practice, 2007-2021
- Lawyer of the Year: Government Relations Practice (Austin), 2017
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
- 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.