About Thomas N.
Thomas N. Farrell built a legal foundation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He earned a B.S. from Rutgers University–New Brunswick/Piscataway and received his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1991. Those early academic years set the stage for a career spent largely in the courtroom.
Fresh out of law school he joined the Office of the District Lawyer of Allegheny County as an Assistant District Lawyer in 1991. He handled prosecutions and courtroom work for the county and learned trial practice under the pressure of heavy caseloads. That early experience gave him a steady practical grounding in criminal litigation.
In 1999 he moved to the Office of the Lawyer General, serving as Deputy Lawyer General. The role expanded his responsibilities and exposed him to a broader range of state-level legal issues. He worked on matters that required coordination with other government lawyers and court appearances across jurisdictions.
Farrell later transitioned to private practice and became Managing Partner at Farrell Weaver & Okun. In that role he oversees firm operations and carries a substantial litigation docket. He represents clients in trial courts and on appeal, and his practice involves both contested proceedings and strategic case management. He brings the perspective of a former prosecutor to defense and appellate work.
He holds admissions to multiple courts. Those include the Pennsylvania bar and appearances in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. That mix of state and federal admissions informs how he approaches cases that move between trial and appellate forums.
Farrell remains active in the local bar. He is a current member of the Judicial Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association and served as chair of the Criminal Litigation Section. His involvement in those bodies reflects long-standing ties to the region’s legal community and to courtroom practice.
Over his career he has balanced public service and private practice. He draws on years of prosecution experience and years managing litigation in private practice when advising clients. He handles matters in state and federal courts and focuses his current practice on criminal litigation and appellate advocacy.
