About James Austin
James Austin Thomas earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2011 after completing undergraduate studies at the College of Charleston, where he received a B.S. in Business Administration in 2008. He left law school equipped with classroom training and a clear interest in courtroom work. Those early years set the tone for a practice that has moved between public service and private practice.
He began his legal career as a law clerk to The Honorable Benjamin Culbertson in 2011. That year in chambers gave him a close view of judicial decision-making and courtroom procedure. The next step was private practice. In 2012 he joined Gundling Law Office, P.A. as an associate, taking on client work and case preparation in a small-firm setting.
In 2013 Thomas entered public prosecution as an Assistant Solicitor in the Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. His time in the solicitor’s office involved prosecutorial duties and courtroom appearances. Those responsibilities broadened his experience handling evidence, witness preparation, and trial strategy.
Thomas is admitted to practice in South Carolina. He has also been active in several local and state bar organizations. Since 2016 he has been a member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He joined the South Carolina Association for Justice and the Horry County Bar Association in 2017, memberships he continues to hold. These affiliations reflect ongoing engagement with both criminal law and trial advocacy communities within the state.
Colleagues describe Thomas as methodical in preparation and plainspoken in court. He balances the procedural habits developed in a solicitor’s office with the client-facing demands of private practice. That combination shapes how he evaluates cases and prepares for trials.
Through clerkship, private practice and government work, Thomas has built familiarity with courtroom practice in South Carolina. He pays particular attention to evidence handling and trial procedure, areas that recur across the positions he has held.
He practices law in South Carolina and maintains active participation in local bar groups. He currently handles criminal matters and trial work in his practice.
