The practice of law is a tough gig. Its not for everyone.
Litigators, in particular, live under constant deadlines. We never really get a vacation. Even on holidays my availability to attend family occasions turns exclusively on whether I have met my various commitments to clients and courts.
If not, then there’s an empty seat at the dinner table.
That’s the life I chose when I went to law school– whether I knew it or not.
Not everyone has that mindset, however. And not everyone succeeds in this game as a result.
And while litigating in any substantive area can be challenging, practicing in the telecommunications sector–particularly TCPA class litigation–where virtually all of your cases are in the harsh spotlight of the unforgiving federal court system, can be extremely daunting.
So I kind of feel bad for Joshua Louis Thomas. Now suspended for two long years after failing to get it done in a string of cases.
Thomas’ connection to TCPAWorld is largely–although not exclusively–tied to that time he famously brought suit against James E. Shelton in a RICO case. It did not go well. Perhaps the case lacked merit to begin with, but Thomas just couldn’t seem to meet deadlines in the case. And judgment was eventually entered against his client.
That was–apparently–just one of a number of unfortunate miscues Mr. Thomas (or his clients) endured during his stint as a litigator in this space. Deadlines blown. Sanctions orders entered. Reprimands issued. All the bad stuff.
So as of October 1, 2021 the guy finds himself suspended from the practice of law for two years.
That’s got to feel like losing a limb. It would for me anyway.
But like I said, this is a tough gig. And its not for everyone.
Still, I’m rooting for the guy. Hope he turns it around. Its in my nature to want to see people succeed. Well, except for this guy.
Read all about the suspension here: