Tom proudly served in the United States Marine Corps prior to receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. While being employed as a full-time deputy sheriff, he attended law school part-time and received his Juris Doctor degree.

Law Enforcement Experience: Gang Detective, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department-Operation Safe Streets Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Authored and executed search warrants and wiretap affidavits involving gangs and narcotics; investigated, apprehended, and arrested suspects for murder, major narcotics, and other gang-related crimes.

Teaching Engagements: Tom passionately shares his knowledge and expertise in gang investigations, search and seizures, Brady issues, along with police disciplinary matters at several POST-approved conferences. Tom has been invited to teach at the California Gang Investigators Association, LA-HIDTA, Asian Peace Officers Association, Asian Gang Investigators Association of California, and the International Conference on Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism. Tom has been a frequent keynote speaker at seminars hosted by various law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies throughout the United States.

As an attorney and while still employed as a deputy sheriff, Tom designed the existing curriculum for the LASD Search Warrant School, a mandatory course provided for newly promoted detectives. Tom continues to lecture at the LASD's Advanced Officer Training Bureau, where he teaches the Search Warrant School, Basic Detective Concepts Course, and the Intermediate Detective Concepts Course.

Shortly after becoming an attorney, Tom's advocacy desire naturally turned to defending those that he once served with. As an attorney, Tom has successfully represented police officers in criminal investigations and administrative proceedings, including internal affairs investigations and disciplinary appeals. Tom also appeals wrongfully imposed disciplines to the Superior Court by seeking writ of mandates, pursuant to the California Code of Civil Procedure sections 1094.5 and 1085.

Tom is licensed to practice law in the state courts of California and the United States Court for the Central District of California.