About D. Gray
D. Gray Thomas trained as a journalist before turning to law. He earned a B.A. in Journalism from Washington University in St. Louis in 1975 and a J.D. from the University of Florida in 1990. Those two disciplines shaped his approach to legal writing and appellate argument.
He joined private practice after law school and became a partner in 1992 at Sheppard, White, Thomas & Kachergus. He spent years handling trial-level matters and drafting appeals for clients across a range of criminal and civil issues. In 2011 he assumed the title of President at the Law Office of D. Gray Thomas and continued to represent clients in state and federal forums.
His admissions cover several courts and circuits. He is admitted to practice in Florida and Georgia, and in the 11th and 7th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal. He is also admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. The combination of state and federal admissions has allowed him to work on cases that cross jurisdictional lines.
Recognition of his appellate work includes Board Certification as an Appellate Specialist by the Florida Bar. That credential signals a concentrated practice in appeals and related procedural matters. Over the years Thomas has repeatedly handled briefs and oral argument in appellate courts, drawing on his background in clear, evidence-based writing.
Thomas holds memberships in several professional organizations. He is a current member of The Florida Bar and the State Bar of Georgia. He also belongs to national groups such as the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association, and to criminal defense organizations including the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Those affiliations keep him engaged with continuing legal developments and peers who practice in appellate and criminal defense work.
He maintains an office at 865 May St. and continues to accept appellate and trial-related matters. His practice centers on representing clients in appeals and criminal defense proceedings before state and federal courts, including filings and oral arguments in the circuits and the Supreme Court.
