About Basil Thomas
Basil Thomas Chapman is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1982. His license is currently in inactive status, as he is not eligible to practice law in California. Mr. Chapman is the founder of the Law Offices of Basil Chapman APLC, a law firm located in Indian Wells, California. He has been practicing law for over 30 years, serving clients throughout the Coachella Valley region.
Mr. Chapman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in 1975, graduating summa cum laude with a major in Political Science. He then pursued his Juris Doctor degree at California Western School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1981. During his time at California Western, he served as the Notes and Comments Editor of the law review, and his first article was selected for publication.
Mr. Chapman specializes in family law and civil litigation. His practice encompasses a wide range of family law matters, including divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and business valuation. He also handles civil litigation cases, representing clients in disputes involving contracts, real estate, and business transactions. His practice involves all stages of litigation, including hearings, trials, and appeals.
Throughout his career, Mr. Chapman has represented clients in various courts, including the Superior Court of California for the County of Riverside, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He has also appeared before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Supreme Court of California. Prior to founding his own firm in 1999, he was a partner for 10 years with the 200-attorney law firm of Best, Best & Krieger in Riverside, California, in the Civil Litigation Department.
Mr. Chapman is a Certified Family Law Specialist, a designation granted by the State Bar of California. He has been recognized by his peers and clients, earning a 10.0 rating on Avvo and being inducted into Super Lawyers. He has also been rated as a "Top Attorney" for the past five years in Palm Springs Life magazine. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Desert Bar Association for 10 consecutive years and is a past president of that organization. He is also a member of the California State Bar and the American Bar Association.
