Thomas Shields

I’m a firm believer that we are here to help other people.

As an attorney and certified mediator at Wine Country Family Law, P.C., I will be your strongest advocate, the person that gives you honest answers and empathetically guides you through your case. I’m also the attorney that is not afraid to litigate and will be there to listen, advise and negotiate, keeping your best interests at heart.

I’ve represented hundreds of clients from diverse backgrounds. This has helped me understand and navigate a variety of cases. Most specifically, difficult custody cases that include complicated factors such as a child with medical conditions and a parent’s ability to care for them.

When you work with me, you will be heard, kept informed and given the attention and respect you deserve. We will work together in a trusting relationship to find creative solutions to serious problems, with your emotional well-being paramount to the process.

Growing up, I would sit at the dinner table and argue with my siblings about anything and everything. The dictionary even made regular dinnertime appearances to settle our arguments. Our father, also an attorney, was there to support and encourage our debates. Being the middle child, I found myself frequently switching roles between argument maker and mediator during these heated debates.

Those childhood memories, coupled with the range of jobs I have held in my life, prior to becoming an attorney, shaped me into the person I am today and how I practice law.

I’ve worked as a teacher’s assistant, an associate at an electronics store, and a tutor in statistics. I worked on summer fundraising for the Human Rights Campaign in San Francisco and in the slots department at a casino. I also worked as a lifeguard at Camp Mendocino for the San Francisco Boys and Girls Club.

These various jobs introduced me to many types of people and personalities and gave me insight into the lives of others. This has served me well in Family Law in understanding clients, opposing parties, and counsel’s unique perspectives.

I graduated from Sonoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a concentration in Computer Applications, and minors in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Communications.

I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do after graduation. So, instead of rushing a life decision, I took a year off and moved to Shanghai, China to teach English to elementary school kids.

After that experience, and so many others throughout my life, I knew I wanted to continue a career in which I help people. Thus, I applied to law school.

During my time there, I was in the Trial Lawyers Association and discovered I wanted to practice Civil Law and ultimately, Family Law. I received my Juris Doctorate from UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), with a concentration in Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

A formative part of my law school experience was participating in a mediation clinic. I ultimately became a certified mediator. This experience helped me develop skills to talk to and connect with people, reframe issues, and de-escalate conflict to reach agreements.

While our firm does not offer mediation services, I know the process from both sides and I will guide clients who wish to go to mediation. If conflict can be avoided, I’m here to facilitate it. Working with both parties to find solutions is something I do very well. But, I’m just as ready to head to court if that is the path we need to take.

After law school, I worked for Sonoma County Legal Aid helping domestic abuse survivors. My significant courtroom experience and ability to craft compelling arguments to help clients obtain orders protecting them from violence and harassment was very impactful for me as an attorney. I live for the moments when my clients begin to realize the full power of the law.

There are injustices everywhere and each person’s individual situation is important. Helping people that truly need it–that is the motivation behind my work.

I know you are dealing with one of the most difficult experiences in your life. Divorce, child custody – these are tough times, and each circumstance comes with its own set of challenges. My job is to help you make the right choice for your family and not allow the case to take over your life.

I genuinely enjoy collaborating with clients through this process and helping them overcome obstacles and challenges they might never have seen coming.

At Wine Country Family Law, P.C. we give you more certainty so you can take fewer risks. We develop strategies and we revisit them when factors change. Our goal is finding what is best for your family.

On a personal note, I enjoy volunteering on my friend’s organic farm, cooking gourmet meals, outings with my two golden retrievers, and playing challenging strategy board games. Toss me a Rubik’s Cube and I’m happy to solve it. I root for the San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors. You might find me reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. A fun fact about me is that I summited Mount Shasta over the 2015 summer solstice. I look forward to meeting you.

What Working With Our Team Is Like

As a potential client, you will first talk to our intake team to determine if your legal issue is something we can assist you with. The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so even if you are reading this at 3 a.m., feel free to call. From there, you will book an initial consultation and pay your consultation fee.

When you are a current client and call the office, our friendly Legal Case Administrator will connect you to your paralegal to discuss next steps, or will schedule an appointment with your attorney. Our goal is to discuss your unique situation, discover solutions moving forward and end your meeting feeling more at ease than when you started.

You can always email your attorney and/or paralegal with questions and concerns. We provide you with a link to your attorney’s calendar to schedule appointments directly. We will text and email appointment reminders to you. If we need you to sign a document, it will typically be provided to you to sign electronically.

You won’t ever have to wait on something important if your attorney is out sick or on vacation. When you work with us, you work with our team. Every week, our attorneys brainstorm cases and discuss solutions and strategies together, harnessing the power of our collective knowledge and experience.

Our fabulous paralegals are also here to help you with any forms or other non-legal questions. Our Legal Case Administrator will assist with any billing questions and scheduling. In addition, you will always have access to your case documents in your secure portal provided to you. You can provide us documents via your portal, as well.

Our Firm Constitution

We keep our clients well-informed, communicate clearly, and are responsive to their needs. We listen with compassion. Our clients feel heard and their needs and objectives identified and understood.

We work with honesty and integrity. We are real with our clients. We support the ongoing health and well-being of our clients and their families. We guide clients to persevere through life’s challenges in a meaningful direction.

We are humble and unpretentious legal professionals. We stay true to our values, never compromising our professionalism or ethics in the face of adversity.

We are bold, exploring unconventional and creative measures to advance our clients’ needs. We are leaders, not followers.

We are open-minded, adaptable, and always learning. We embrace technology to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and to provide convenience to our clients.

We work hard.

We are supportive of our teammates. We are real with each other. We value a sense of humor and foster a friendly, positive work environment.

We maintain a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives. We seek methods to encourage personal wellness to bring our best selves to our clients and our team.

The entire team at Wine Country Family Law, P.C. shares the same core values.

At the end of the day, we give you reasonable advice. We want what is best for your family and your children. We welcome challenging and complex cases. If we are not the right fit, we will do our best to refer you to someone who can help. We care. We will work to earn your trust. We strive to give you as much attention as possible and work toward peaceful resolutions. We want you to walk away from this experience with dignity.

If we sound like the legal team for you, please reach out.