STEPHEN JOSEPH THOMAS

 Twenty three years of experience in legal counsel and management involved with:

Complex commercial and "high-tech" litigation;

Domestic and international intellectual property law;

Arbitration of investor claims against stockbrokers;

Corporate and securities law;

International transaction and dispute resolution.

That experience has been gained through a variety of representations, including:

The third largest trading company in Japan;

One of Central Illinois' largest retail developers;

The largest privately owned company in Russia;

Co-ownership of a Pacific Rim trade and investment firm.

In attaining that background, I have had high-level involvement representing such organizations as:

Marubeni America                               Accu-Toll Computer Co.

Ortcard International, U.S.A.                Cyntech Technologies, Inc.

Pacific Tri Micro Software, Inc.            Kit Bromley & Company

Software Partners                                California Overseas Bank

Interlock Industries                               Good Hope International

Commerce Bank                                    Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Int'l.

D. Joseph Construction & Development

Admitted to practice law in Illinois and California (state and federal) and before the United States Tax Court.

MEMBER

NAACP Legal Redress Chair, State of Illinois (2006-present)

Chairman, International Law Section Council (1999-2000)

Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association

Illinois State Bar Association

American Bar Association Peoria County Bar Association

Barrister, American Inns of Court

LECTURER

Bradley University International Managers Program (1997and 1998), "International

Distributor Agreements."

ISBA Midyear Meeting (1997), "International Discovery Issues."

LAW FIRM EXPERIENCE

The Thomas Law Group (3/2000-- present)

THOMAS & ASSOCIATES (11/98 -- 3/2000; 6/90--3/96; 4/87--9/89)

ROCHFORD & THOMAS (1/98-10/98)

Peoria, Illinois

HEYL, ROYSTER, VOELKER & ALLEN (3/96-12/97)

Peoria, Illinois

HURWITZ, REMER, DiVINCENZO & GRIFFITH (9/89--6/90)

Newport Beach, California

McKIERNAN, GURROLA, MORIWAKI & BRADY (3/84--4/87)

Los Angeles, California

Law Clerk (3/84--12/85)

Attorney (12/85--4/87)

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

MERRILL LYNCH (3/99 -- 9/99)

Peoria, Illinois

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAW CENTER

Los Angeles, California

Juris Doctor 1985

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Irvine, California

Master of Fine Arts (Creative Writing) 1979

Candidate for Ph.D. in Critical Theory (1980--1982)

Instructor (1977--1979, 1980--1982)

THOMAS WATSON FOUNDATION, Providence, Rhode Island

Thomas Watson Fellow (1976--1977) Study fellowship

TRINITY COLLEGE, Hartford, Connecticut

Bachelor of Arts with Honors in English (1975)

Trinity College Illinois Scholar (1971--1975)