About Thomas V
Thomas V Alonzo trained at Louisiana State University, where he earned a B.A. in Pre-Law and Criminal Science in 1979 and a J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1984. His academic background set a clear path into criminal law and trial work. He later returned to the law school as an adjunct professor in 2002, teaching students from the bench rather than the podium.
He entered private practice shortly after law school. In 1987 he opened the Law Office of Thomas V. Alonzo and has handled trial matters for decades. That same decade brought public defense work. In 1995 he served on the felony track at the Lafayette Parish Public Defender's Office, gaining hands-on courtroom experience in serious criminal cases and jury trials.
Alonzo is admitted across several jurisdictions. He holds membership in the Louisiana State Bar since 1987 and joined the Mississippi State Bar in 1999. He is also admitted to practice in Georgia, Texas, and the Fifth Circuit. Professional associations include the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, and the Mississippi Association for Justice. Those affiliations connect him to peers across state lines and to continuing education resources relevant to criminal defense.
His practice credentials include certification as a Capital Defender through the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. That credential reflects training and recognition in handling death-penalty matters and other high-stakes litigation. The combination of public defense work, long-standing private practice, and courtroom teaching informs his approach to trial preparation and case strategy.
Colleagues and former students describe him as a lawyer who brings courtroom experience to legal instruction and back to his clients. He has spent much of his career trying cases and preparing defenses for serious felony charges. That pattern has shaped a practice that handles a range of criminal matters in both state and federal venues.
Alonzo maintains an office in Louisiana and continues to practice through the Law Office of Thomas V. Alonzo. He represents clients in criminal matters, including felony and capital cases, across the jurisdictions where he is admitted.
