Biography

As a trial lawyer, Tom Mayhew has represented a broad range of clients in every form of high-stakes dispute, in federal and state courts, domestic and international arbitrations, SEC administrative proceedings, and criminal cases.

Tom’s clients hire him for judgment and creativity, not because he specializes in any one area of business litigation. He becomes a specialist in the facts and law of their particular situation, and then leverages his particular strengths in strategy and pragmatic problem-solving, and coming up with the best solution for a client’s current issue or case, rather than applying a playbook or cookie-cutter approach. His intellectual curiosity means he loves learning the complexities of different business contexts so that he can crystallize and teach the concepts to decision-makers in language that is simple, relatable, and understandable.

Tom represents a number of leading consumer brands, ranging from bottled water to cosmetics to appliances to premium chocolate, wine, and alcoholic beverages. He serves as lead counsel in consumer class action litigation across the country – especially in California, New Jersey, and New York, where so many of these cases are brought – and has litigated over 30 class actions involving claims of false advertising or labeling, pricing/antitrust violations, and other allegedly “unfair’ and “unlawful” business practices.  When the situation requires it, he is as comfortable on offense as defense, representing companies in business-vs.-business claims involving product or technology development, supply chain disruption, and co-manufacturing problems, or in investment or internal corporate disputes and interactions with regulators.

Distinctions

  • Housing Action Coalition (HAC) Housing Heroes Award honoree (2024)
  • Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2016-2025)
  • Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star (National, 2023), California - Litigation Star (2012-2023)
  • Super Lawyers, Northern California (2006, 2008, 2011-2018)

Memberships and Affiliations

  • President, Northern California Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (2017)