Biography - Thomas Girardi

Who is Thomas Girardi?

Thomas Girardi is an attorney by profession and American by nationality. He is well known as the founder of the law firm Girardi & Keese with Robert Keese and the ex-husband of singer, and actress Erika Girardi.

Thomas Girardi – Age, Parents, Siblings

Thomas Girardi’s birth took place on June 3, 1939, in Denver, Colorado, USA. His birth name is Thomas Vincent Girardi. Other information on her early life including that of his mother, father, siblings, and childhood is withheld among limited individuals.

Education, Ethnicity

Thomas Girardi graduated from Loyola High School in 1957. He went on to study at Loyola Marymount University, earning an undergraduate degree in 1961. He also earned a J.D. degree from Loyola Law School in 1964 and in 1965 an LL.M. from New York University.

His ethnicity is Caucasian.

Thomas Girardi – Girlfriend, Wife, Children

Thomas Girardi has been married three times.

His first wife was Karen Weitzul, whom he married on August 29, 1964. Following his first divorce, he went on to marry his longtime girlfriend Kathy Riser in September 1993. The marriage ended just over 5 years ago. There are no exact details on his children and how many children he had from his relationships.

In 1999 he wed singer, and reality TV star Erika Jayne on 7 January 2000. Jayne is 32 years younger and is closer to his children’s age and through this marriage, he became a step-father to Jayne’s son, Thomas Zizzo Jr.

In November 2020 Jayne announced that they had separated and divorce is underway.

Thomas Girardi – Career

Early Days

Girardi began practicing law soon after college graduation. Throughout his career, he has handled and won several high-profile legal cases. In 1970, he was the first attorney in the state of California to win a medical malpractice case that awarded $1 million plus.

High profile cases

Thomas Girardi is well known for the cases against Pacific Gas & Electric. The residents of the desert community of Hinkley, California blamed the utility company for incidents of cancer and other diseases on contaminated water leaked from a gas pumping station. The case was closed after the company agreed to pay $460 million to 650 residents. It was the inspiration for the film Erin Brockovich (2000) starring Julia Roberts and Girardi served as an adviser on the film. 

Another high-profile case of Thomas Girardi was against Dole Food and Shell Chemicals by the court in Nicaragua on the effects of the pesticide, DBCP, upon exposed workers. Girardi was among a group of lawyers working to enforce in U.S. courts a $489 million default judgment. However, the US courts found their translation of the pertinent Nicaraguan documents was flawed. So Girardi and others’ law firm was fined for violation of their duty of candor to the courts. They were also formally reprimanded.

Other recognized cases Thomas Girardi handled were against Lockheed Martin Corp., Pacific Gas & Electric Co, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, etc. He also represented his clients against seven major movie studios in Hollywood.

On TV

Girardi has made appearances on the reality show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alongside his then-wife  Erika Jayne.

Thomas Girardi – Net Worth, Salary

The net worth of Thomas Girardi is estimated to be $30 million while the figure on his annual salary is under review.

Thomas Girardi – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Thomas Girardi is active on social media sites including Twitter, and Facebook. He also has an official website- tomgirardi.com.