Thomas Wood, Literary Arts Board Chair
Attorney, Stoel Rives

Before becoming an attorney, I ran several small businesses. Combined with my strong technical background, this gives me an understanding that what most companies need is not a legalese answer, but a practical solution, a clearly articulated strategy, and good communication skills. Providing this type of guidance and client response is what I enjoy most about what I do and after 26 years of practice, I have the depth of experience to deliver for clients…

I worked my way through college loading and unloading trucks. After leaving Stanford, I worked in New York City doing specialty contracting work. People often ask why I left that work to go to law school. The reason was that I saw the scope of regulations growing ever more complex and I wanted to help others navigate the tortured pathways so that they could better focus on their businesses. I measure success by finding a cost-effective solution that leaves my clients able to do what they need to do and leaves the agency recognizing my clients’ compliance efforts. I have had the pleasure of working with some of the nation’s leading semiconductor, aerospace, cement, steel, wood products, pulp and paper, chemical, energy, glass, oil and gas, motor vehicle, landfill, renewable fuel, biotech, data, food processing, equipment manufacturing, and retail companies. I like nothing better than to help manufacturers excel in making the best products in the world, right here in the United States.