Thomas Paul Carnes

Tom Carnes has been a solo legal practictioner in the Texas Hill Country since 2008, when he moved his practice from downtown Houston.  Tom focuses his practice on resolving disputes -- business disputes and family law disputes.  He has an active and broad business litigation practice, family law practice, including, but not limited to collaborative divorce, and mediation practice.  

Tom is a native of Denton, Texas, where he graduated from Denton High School (1980) and the University of North Texas (BBA, 1983; MBA, 1988).

Prior to embarking on his legal studies at the University of Houston Law Center in 1989, Tom worked first as a restaurant manager, and then in financial analysis and corporate finance, for a large bank holding company and a defense contractor.

Tom graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 1992, magna cum laude. At the Law Center he was inducted into both the Order of the Barons and the Order of the Coif, the two legal honor societies at the school. He was also an officer in Phi Delta Phi, a legal fraternity.

For the first ten years of his career Tom worked for major law firms in Houston, practicing complex commercial litigation. In February 2002, he left large firm practice to form his own firm, first as a solo practitioner and subsequently in a partnership with his friend and colleague John Ely. In late 2008, Tom determined to move his practice to the Texas Hill Country.

During his time in Houston, Tom was widely recognized as one of Houston’s preeminent lawyers in each of the areas in which he practices. These awards include being consistently recognized by H-Texas Magazine as one of Houston's top family lawyers, "lawyers for the people," and top lawyers overall.  He has maintained the top peer review rating of "A-V" from Martindale since he first became eligible in 2002 after ten years of practice. He is a longstanding member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, and numerous bar associations and charitable organizations.

In 2008, Tom moved with his wife Beverly to their farm outside of Fredericksburg, Texas.  Together they own and run Agarita Creek Farms LP , a working farm and ranch, as well as a farm-stay tourist destination.  Tom also recently concluded a four-year lay seminary course of study, through the Education for Ministry Program of the Theological Seminary of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.