ACBA Member Spotlight: Thomas Ogas
ACBA member Thomas Ogas is an attorney in private practice and the 2026 Chair of the Alameda County Bar Association’s Criminal Law Executive Committee. He’s been practicing criminal law since 2000, and tried over 60 cases before juries. He teaches criminal law for Cal State East Bay, Pepperdine University School of Law, and has been a visiting faculty member for the Standford School of Law trial skills program for the past 10 years.
When did you know you wanted to be a lawyer?
The seed was planted when, as a high school student, I got involved in Mock Trial. We competed in real courtrooms, wearing suits, and put on real-enough trials. It was something that stuck with me as a positive experience, and something that I felt that I was really good at.
As my college years were coming to a close and I needed to make a decision about my career, I decided to apply to only my University’s School of Law (beautiful campus up on the hill above the apartment building I was living in), to test the waters, so to speak. I was accepted and decided that was meant to be.
If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what would you be doing instead?
I wanted to work as a screenwriter for television or film. That was the focus on my college education, but there wasn’t a pipeline into that sort of career that I was aware of. You had to get lucky with a spec script or know someone or have experience writing professionally, which I did not have. Instead of gambling that I would be able to write the Great American Screenplay, I decided to take a more secure career path.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were first admitted to practice?
I wish I’d have been more business oriented, or learned some marketing skills. My first job was as a deputy public defender, and I was able to do my work, on salary, so I never had to learn any of the business-side skills that attorneys need to know. And my clients didn’t pay me. So, I learned that job satisfaction came from doing the right thing, helping people, and getting just results. Later on, as a private attorney, it was extremely hard to adjust my mindset to doing good work AND being profitable at the same time.
What is the biggest challenge facing you as a lawyer today?
Time management.
What is your favorite part of being a lawyer?
I get to interact with brilliant people. I still have a fondness for courthouses and the honorable traditions that we employ. I have great respect and trust for the judges that I appear before. Over 25 years in this job, and I still like being in court.
Plus, my job allows me to often solve mysteries and find ways to help people out of stressful situations. There’s also joy in being an advocate for another human being and finding the good within them.
What is your dream vacation?
Being in a relaxing place. Tropical, mountains, forest, doesn’t exactly matter. What matters is having nothing to do, tons of free time, and being able to clear my head of any pending responsibilities or concerns. Being in a beautiful place with nothing bearing down on me. And having some great food to top it off.
What are you reading now?
I’m preparing to run a new storytelling game (Call of Cthulhu) with friends. So I’m reading the source material: The Two Headed Serpent.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
I get together with a group of other writers/actors online and we record the stories we create and turn them into a podcast with weekly episodic releases, like old radio dramas. It’s allowed me to put my screenwriting/theater experience into play as a hobby and create some great stories that I’m really proud of.
What person (living or dead, real or fictional) would you most like to have dinner with?
Caleb Stokes. One of the writers of source material that I’m using for the podcast.
Why do you choose to be a member of the ACBA? What is the greatest benefit you’ve experienced as a member?
When I started out as a solo attorney, I needed help with the business side of things. I needed to network! Meeting other attorneys was invaluable, not just for references, but as a support network. And the ACBA helped keep me current on local court events, rules, MCLEs, and helped get me a lot of business. You really can’t do this job alone. The ACBA has been extremely valuable for my growth and success.
Follow Thomas Ogas’ example and become a member of the ACBA today! Find more information on our Why Join page.