Thomas A. Forbes

Tom has over 40 years of experience in government affairs, administrative and regulatory law, rulemaking, political law, lobbying, negotiation and business transactions. His practice includes the representation of clients before the Texas Legislature, contested administrative tribunals, state and federal regulatory agencies, U.S. Congress and the Federal Executive Branch.  

In addition to his law practice, Tom is Chairman of the Board of the Austin Trust Company, headquartered in Austin, Texas. 

He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® every year since 2007. In 2017, he was named the Best Lawyers 2017 Government Relations Practice “Lawyer of the Year” in Austin. 

Representative clients include:

• British Consul General
• National Football League 
• State of Maine
• Houston Oilers (Tennessee Titans)
• State Bar of Texas
• Exelon Corporation  
• Educational Testing Service  
• Maine Yankee Atomic Power Co.
• Texas Academy of Family Physicians 
• South Texas College of Law 
• Texas Professional Sports Coalition 
• El Paso Chamber of Commerce 
• Professional Advocacy Association of Texas 

Professional Activities

State Bar of Texas

• Chair, State Legislation Committee 
• Chair, Sunset Review Committee
• Chair, Section of Administrative & Public Law 
• Founding Council Member, Section of Legislative & Campaign Law 
• Examination Commissioner, State Board of Legal Specialization, Legislative & Campaign Law 
• Two Presidential Citations 
• Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Founding Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation

American Bar Association

• House of Delegates 
• Standing Committee on Government Affairs 
• Standing Committee on Election Law
• Standing Committee on Group & Prepaid Legal Services
• Special Commission on Latin American Affairs 
• Latin American Law Initiatives Council 
• Standing Committee on Meetings & Travel 
• Life Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Community Engagement & Civic Recognition

• Austin Area Research Organization 
• Chair, Leadership Austin 
• Executive Committee & Chair of the Institutional Advancement Committee, Nominating Committee, Southwestern University Board of Trustees 
• Board of Visitors, Southwestern University 
• President, Southwestern University Alumni Association 
• Founding President, Center for Child Protection (formerly Travis County Children’s Advocacy Center) 
• Director, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas 
• Board of Visitors, University of Texas McDonald Observatory 
• University of Texas School Architecture Advisory Board 
• Awarded the 1st Volunteer of the Year Award, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas 
• Citation of Merit, Southwestern University Alumni Association 
• Cofounder, State Law Resources Inc. (Founder’s Award, 2024)