Thomas joined the Stegner Center's Law and Policy Group after practicing law for over forty years. He served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Utah, representing the Department of Natural Resources. In that capacity, he represented the State Engineer, the Board and Division of Oil Gas and Mining, as well as others. Thomas also served as a section Chief for the AG representing the Department of Transportation in the areas of NEPA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, historic preservation and eminent domain. Thomas also served as Senior Counsel to the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) representing the Trust in matters of oil, gas and mining as well as water rights and real estate transactions. During that time, he also taught oil and gas law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law.  After more than 30 years of representing the State of Utah in various capacities involving natural resources, environmental law, and civil litigation, he was regularly named by his peers to the list of “Utah’s Legal Elite” until his retirement.