Thomas John Murphy

Thomas Murphy is a Partner in the Syracuse office of Tully Rinckey PLLC, where he focuses his practice on Matrimonial and Family Law; Criminal, Vehicle and Traffic law; Civil Litigation; and police defense in excessive force and unlawful arrest cases. An attorney with more than 30 years’ experience, Tom was previously a Partner in a Syracuse law firm. He also served for 20 years with the Syracuse Police Department and was chief in-house trial counsel for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation.

Tom is admitted to practice law in all courts in New York State, the Federal courts for the Northern and Western Districts of New York State and U.S. Supreme Court. He also is an adjunct professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Onondaga Community College, where he teaches Criminal Law and serves on VALAC (Volunteer Animal Law Abuse Court) in Syracuse City Court as an advocate for abused animals whose owners have been charged with mistreatment of the animals. He has received several awards during his legal career, including the 2009 Onondaga County Bar Association Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award. He also received multiple awards and commendations while serving with the Syracuse Police Department, including being nominated for a White House Fellowship. Additionally, Tom was the youngest police officer to attend and graduate from Northwestern University’s Traffic Institute, which consisted of a nine-month course in Police Management, attended by police officers from around the United States and foreign countries.

Tom is a member of the Onondaga County and New York State bar associations, the New York State Defenders Association, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, and he served as President of the Syracuse Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2007. Tom obtained his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law and a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University. He earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from LeMoyne College.