Professor Thomas joined Whittier Law School as a full-time clinical professor in the Children’s Rights Legal Clinic in 2006. She provides law students enrolled in the Children’s Advocacy Clinic and the Family Violence Clinic with the substantive law and practical training necessary to prepare them to assist minor children and their caregivers on actual client cases. Students are given the opportunity to work on a wide variety client matters under her supervision, including adoption, guardianship, limited conservatorship of developmentally disabled adult children, domestic violence, paternity, dissolution of marriage, custody and support. In 2009 Professor Thomas initiated a new project which will focus on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases and will give law students the opportunity to advocate on behalf of abused, neglected or abandoned minor children in state and immigration courts.

Commitment to pro bono activities is a major component of Professor Thomas’ professional life. In 1998 she was recognized by the Public Law Center and the State Bar of California for her pro bono service to members of our community who lack access to justice. She volunteers at domestic violence shelters, court-based clinics for self-represented parties and other community pro bono projects. Professor Thomas mentors law students and new attorneys and encourages them to make a life-long commitment to pro bono service.

Presentations

• O. C. Bar Association Seminar, “The Canary in the Coal Mine: Overcoming the Barriers of Bias” (2008, Prague, Czech Republic)
• Orange County domestic violence shelters, “Domestic Violence and Family Law” (2007 – present)
• O. C. Bar Association, “Guardianship Training for Volunteer Attorneys” (2008 – present)
• O. C. Bar Association Ten-Minute Mentor Program (2008 website presentation)
• O. C. Bar Association Teenage Legal Survival Skills (2008, community presentations)

Pro Bono Activities and Awards

• State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for District 8 (1998)
• Public Law Center Attorney of the Year (1998)
• O. C. Bar Association Family Law Section George Bailey Award (2007, service to the court)
• Public Law Center (1997 – present, pro bono volunteer attorney)
• O. C. Probate Court Guardianship Clinic (2007 – present, volunteer attorney)
• O. C. Family Court Self-Represented Parties Court (2007 – present, volunteer attorney)
• O. C. Bar Association Domestic Violence Project (2000 – present, volunteer attorney)
• Orange County domestic violence shelters (2006 – present, volunteer attorney)

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of California (1996 – present)
• United States District Court, Central District (1996 – present)
• Orange County Bar Association (1997 – present)
  Board of Directors (2002, Nominations Committee, Appointments Committee)
  Pro Bono Committee (2000 – present, Co-Chair 2006 – present)
  Bridging the Gap Committee (2000 – 2009, Co-Chair 2006 – 2009)
  Resolutions Committee (2010)
  Law Day Committee (2010)
  Family Law Section (1997 – present)
• Orange County Women Lawyers (1997 – lifetime member, 2002 President)
• Fair Housing Council of Orange County Board of Directors (2000, 2001)
• Association of American Law Schools (2009 – present)
• O. C. Probate Court Guardianship Clinic Committee (2008 – present)
• O. C. Juvenile Court Pro Bono Committee (2009 – present)