The Virginia Law Foundation mourns the loss of Colin “Cal” J.S. Thomas, Jr. (Fellows Class of 1989), who passed away on Friday, August 26, 2022, at the age of 86.
A devoted trial attorney, Mr. Thomas was a pillar of Virginia’s legal community. In addition to his active presence in the Virginia State Bar and Virginia Bar Association, he served as president of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys and the Augusta County Bar Association. Mr. Thomas was instrumental in the creation of the Trial Advocacy Institute at the University of Virginia, which he helped found in 1988, and he was a committed educator for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. In recognition for his commitment to the Institute, which is now known as the National Trial Advocacy College and is hosted annually by Virginia CLE®, Mr. Thomas received the Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Award, given for outstanding skills as a trial lawyer and outstanding contributions to trial advocacy education at the University of Virginia.
Mr. Thomas was a Virginia Law Foundation Fellow as well as a fellow of the International Society of Barristers and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
To learn more about Mr. Thomas’ life and impact, please read his obituary here.
