Practice Areas
Education
- University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 2002, cum laude
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville, B.S., 1997, magna cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Judicial Clerkships
- The Honorable James L. Graham, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 2005-2006
Tom is a partner in the firm’s litigation group and the managing partner of the firm’s Orange County office. Tom has a broad range of litigation and client counseling experiences with a specific focus on employment litigation, complex commercial disputes, and class action litigation.
Tom spends significant time representing national employers against claims under California state and local ordinances. Tom regularly represents clients in harassment, discrimination, and disability/leave of absence claims, and in wage and hour class/representative actions. In addition, he has significant experience representing national retail stores in private arbitrations across the country addressing employment related claims.
Tom also litigates complex commercial cases involving contract disputes, tort, and consumer sales practices act claims. He has successfully represented public universities in several high-profile disputes, counseled numerous student athletes regarding NCAA compliance, and served as lead counsel in multiple consumer class actions.
His notable experience includes:
- Serving as seconded in-house counsel for an international retail company with over 3,000 locations and assisting with litigation management, client counseling, and numerous strategic initiatives.
- Lead counsel in two consumer class actions resulting in settlements valued at more than $14 million.
- Obtaining restraining orders and preliminary injunctions on behalf of a retail company and a national manufacturer pursuant to non-compete agreements and successfully defending an individual employee against similar claims brought by his former employer.
- Obtaining dismissals or negligible settlements in a number of harassment and discrimination cases filed against national retail stores throughout the country.
- Representing a design/manufacture in a multi-million dollar contract dispute before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution.
Tom is a member of the Federal Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Columbus Bar Association.
Professional and Community Activities
- North Market Development Authority, Board of Trustees and President, 2015-present
- Federal Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2018-2020
- The Athletic Club of Columbus, Board of Directors, 2019-present
- Godman Guild Association, Board of Trustees, 2014-2017
- Camp Mary Orton, Board of Directors, 2006-2014
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers In America, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2022
- The Best Lawyers In America, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2022
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2007; 2011-2012
- Columbus CEO, Top Lawyers in Columbus, 2015
News
- 8/19/2021One hundred and sixteen lawyers from Vorys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® 2022 edition. In addition, 34 Vorys attorneys were named to the 2022 Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list.
- 2/16/2021Vorys, an AMLaw 200 law firm, has opened an office in California. The office, which is the firm’s eighth, expands Vorys’ physical footprint from coast-to-coast.
- 10/28/2020Vorys announced that it will open an office in California. The office will be the firm’s eighth office and expands the firm’s physical footprint from coast-to-coast.
- 4/23/2020Tom McCormick, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office, was featured in a National Jeweler article about things businesses need to consider before they reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 11/6/2013After more than two years of litigation and months of negotiation, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has preliminarily approved a class action settlement in a lawsuit filed against Urban Active Fitness.
- 12/16/2011
- 4/19/2011
- 3/17/2011
- 1/3/2011
- 6/26/2007
Insights
- 7/19/2021On July 15, 2021, the California Supreme Court answered Alice’s question with respect to paying employees for missed meals and rest breaks – employers must pay meal and break premiums at the employee’s higher “regular rate” rather than the employee’s base hourly rate.
- 12/2/2020The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board recently approved emergency, temporary COVID-19 regulations.
- 5/7/2020Tom McCormick, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office, authored an article for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee website titled “Best Practices for Jewelers to Avoid Legal Liability When Reopening Stores During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”