Barbara Twine Thomas, a native Floridian, was born in Tallahassee, Florida and reared in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida. She graduated from Hillsborough High School and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Chemistry Education from the University of South Florida. She then attended the University of Florida, College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. Upon graduation from law school, Barbara began her legal career as a Reginald Herber Smith Fellow at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. Her legal services tenure continued over the next 10 years as she worked at Atlanta Legal Aid and Legal Services of the United States Virgin Islands in many positions, including Managing Attorney and Senior Attorney. During her tenure, Barbara handled a demanding and varied civil caseload that included social security disability claims and hearings, family law matters, landlord and tenant matters, and employment discharge claims. Barbara later worked for government, including service as an assistant Attorney General in the United States Virgin Islands, Department of Justice where she represented law enforcement and governmental officials in defense of 1983 claims and other tort claims. Representation in these cases required appearances in Federal District Court in both jury and non-jury cases. Her governmental work also included service as the General Council of the United States Virgin Islands, Water and Power Authority. Later she also served as a Senior Assistant County Attorney in Hillsborough County. Her primary responsibilities for the county included appearances before the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners on behalf of the Department of Public Works, writing legal opinions, drafting contracts, inter-local agreements, and other documents necessary for the execution of all governmental services provided by the Department of Public Works. Barbara has also represented the City of Tampa’s Civil Service Board regarding its due process hearings and the City of Tampa’s Code Enforcement Board regarding its due process hearings and related legal opinions. She has most recently represented Hillsborough County’s Department of Planning and Growth Management as special counsel in Code Enforcement hearings. Her private practice experiences have included representing insurance companies on insurance defense claims. Her practice has included labor and employment matters on behalf of the Hillsborough Area Transit Authority, family law matters, criminal law matters and wills and probate.

Out of State Counsel Licensed in Georgia and US Virgin Islands