Thomas D. Hall
Tom Hall joined the firm in 2014, after retiring as Clerk of Court of the Florida
Supreme Court. The son of a steel worker, Tom grew up in southwest Ohio and
became the first in his extended family to attend college when he enrolled at
Ohio University. His studies were interrupted when he served four years in the
United States Navy as a naval photographer during the Vietnam War. After the
war, Tom ultimately completed his studies in Florida, graduating in 1976 from
the University of West Florida. He earned his law degree from the University of
Miami, where he was active in moot court and mock trial competitions, winning
literally every competition he entered at the law school and representing the
school in numerous regional and national competitions.
After graduation Tom served as a law clerk for the Honorable Daniel S. Pearson at Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal in Miami. After an 18-month stint at the court, Tom went to work for a small firm in Miami - Schoniger and Siegfried, where he focused on construction litigation and representing numerous homeowner’s associations. He left that firm after about two years and joined what is now known as the Kenny Nachwalter firm, where he handled trial and appellate litigation, primarily involving construction and banking disputes in state and federal court.
In 1990, looking for a change in lifestyle and location, Tom accepted a job as staff attorney at Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, where he worked in both administrative and supervisory capacities, until being
appointed Clerk of the Florida Supreme Court in 2000. He was just the twentieth person to hold this position since Florida became a state in 1845, and he learned the ins and outs of the state court system first hand during his
thirteen years of service to the supreme court.
In addition to his duties as clerk, Tom continued his long tradition of volunteer service to the bench and bar. As one judge said at Tom’s retirement ceremony from the Supreme Court, “Tom has been on every court committee known to man.” One of the many such committees was the District Court of Appeal Performance and Accountability Commission. While Clerk, Tom served on the Board of Directors of the Florida’s Court E-Filing Authority. He was also the Court’s unofficial liaison to the Florida Court Technology Commission and served on a number of its
committees.
Tom has also been very active in The Florida Bar. He currently serves as vice chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee. He is an active liaison to the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee on behalf of a client. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. He has previously chaired two different sections of the Bar– Government Lawyers and Appellate Practice – and remains active in both. The Appellate Section honored him with the 2007 James C. Adkins Award for his contributions to improving appellate
practice in Florida. Tom was also Chair of the CLE Committee of the Bar.
Tom currently serves as vice chair of the technology committee of the Vision 2016 Commission, which is tasked with a comprehensive study of the future practice of law. He also remains active in the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks (NCACC), having served as its president and having won its highest award, the 2013 J.O. Sentell Award, for his outstanding contributions to improving appellate court operations through the country.
Tom has been active in many community organizations including fours years as president of the congregation at his church and three years on the board of directors of ECHO, a charitable organization serving the homeless in
Tallahassee. He also served for many years as a judge in Teen Court in Leon County. He is a member of the Tallahassee Bar Association and was a charter member of the First District Appellate Inn of Court.
In addition to practicing appellate law at The Mills Firm, Tom is president of TLH Consulting Group LLC, where he provides non-legal advice to various groups about court operations.
Supreme Court. The son of a steel worker, Tom grew up in southwest Ohio and
became the first in his extended family to attend college when he enrolled at
Ohio University. His studies were interrupted when he served four years in the
United States Navy as a naval photographer during the Vietnam War. After the
war, Tom ultimately completed his studies in Florida, graduating in 1976 from
the University of West Florida. He earned his law degree from the University of
Miami, where he was active in moot court and mock trial competitions, winning
literally every competition he entered at the law school and representing the
school in numerous regional and national competitions.
After graduation Tom served as a law clerk for the Honorable Daniel S. Pearson at Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal in Miami. After an 18-month stint at the court, Tom went to work for a small firm in Miami - Schoniger and Siegfried, where he focused on construction litigation and representing numerous homeowner’s associations. He left that firm after about two years and joined what is now known as the Kenny Nachwalter firm, where he handled trial and appellate litigation, primarily involving construction and banking disputes in state and federal court.
In 1990, looking for a change in lifestyle and location, Tom accepted a job as staff attorney at Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, where he worked in both administrative and supervisory capacities, until being
appointed Clerk of the Florida Supreme Court in 2000. He was just the twentieth person to hold this position since Florida became a state in 1845, and he learned the ins and outs of the state court system first hand during his
thirteen years of service to the supreme court.
In addition to his duties as clerk, Tom continued his long tradition of volunteer service to the bench and bar. As one judge said at Tom’s retirement ceremony from the Supreme Court, “Tom has been on every court committee known to man.” One of the many such committees was the District Court of Appeal Performance and Accountability Commission. While Clerk, Tom served on the Board of Directors of the Florida’s Court E-Filing Authority. He was also the Court’s unofficial liaison to the Florida Court Technology Commission and served on a number of its
committees.
Tom has also been very active in The Florida Bar. He currently serves as vice chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee. He is an active liaison to the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee on behalf of a client. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. He has previously chaired two different sections of the Bar– Government Lawyers and Appellate Practice – and remains active in both. The Appellate Section honored him with the 2007 James C. Adkins Award for his contributions to improving appellate
practice in Florida. Tom was also Chair of the CLE Committee of the Bar.
Tom currently serves as vice chair of the technology committee of the Vision 2016 Commission, which is tasked with a comprehensive study of the future practice of law. He also remains active in the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks (NCACC), having served as its president and having won its highest award, the 2013 J.O. Sentell Award, for his outstanding contributions to improving appellate court operations through the country.
Tom has been active in many community organizations including fours years as president of the congregation at his church and three years on the board of directors of ECHO, a charitable organization serving the homeless in
Tallahassee. He also served for many years as a judge in Teen Court in Leon County. He is a member of the Tallahassee Bar Association and was a charter member of the First District Appellate Inn of Court.
In addition to practicing appellate law at The Mills Firm, Tom is president of TLH Consulting Group LLC, where he provides non-legal advice to various groups about court operations.