Howard Thomas, MBA, JD

After working in heavy construction as a cost engineer, providing financial services, and then developing financial software, Howard celebrated mid-life by entering law school in 2002.  While in law school, Howard managed commercial property, wrote code, studied mediation, and began settling disputes. Today, Howard has expanded his mediation practice and is a supervising attorney for the Congress of Neutrals. From his Walnut Creek office, Howard's legal practice focuses on Estate Planning, Special Needs, Asset Protection, and Property in San Francisco and the East Bay.

Mediation Training

• Pepperdine University School of Law
• John F. Kennedy University School of Law
• University of California at Berkeley Extension

Degrees

• BS, Mechanical Engineering, UC Santa Barbara
• MBA, California State University Long Beach
• JD, John F. Kennedy University

Member

• Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley
• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors 
• Association for Advanced Life Underwriting
• International Council of Shopping Centers
• California State & Local Bar Associations
• Diablo Regional Arts Association

Over 100 Mediations Since 2004

Howard is available to mediate a broad array of commercial and interpersonal disputes with a focus on matters involving real estate, finance, technology and construction with a particular interest in shopping centers.

Financial & Estate Planning

For two decades, Howard was a financial advisor who was registered for general securities and licensed as a life insurance agent. Howard acquired financial products for public and private entities. He is a Chartered Life Underwriter and Fellow of the Life Management Institute. Howard consulted with financial planners regarding their estate planning, private placements, and benefit financing practices. He has been a regional director and then a variable life product manager for an insurance company.  

Real Estate & Construction

Howard has drafted and negotiated commercial leases from both the landlord and tenant perspectives. He is experienced in commercial property management. He has worked through tenant bankruptcies. He has been a construction cost engineer responsible for estimating, forecasting, change control, and international bid evaluations on billion dollar projects.  He has lived in a construction camp, pounded nails, pulled wire, and walked high steel. He was once an Army combat engineering officer.

Energy & Technology

As a cost engineer schooled in both mechanical engineering and finance, Howard supported scientists and engineers in the evaluation of energy alternatives ranging from garbage recovery to advanced nuclear reactors for both domestic and international clients.  Personally skilled in object oriented development and advanced mathematics, Howard combined his programming and financial skills to develop software that is used by insurance companies and financial advisors across the nation.

Note: Howard is licensed to practice law in California.  He is not licensed to sell insurance or securities.