By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Thomas Economy is a seasoned trial lawyer with nearly two decades of experience representing clients in personal injury cases. He joined Christensen Law's team in November 2016 to continue his passion for helping the injured in his community.
For the past 18 years, Economy has dedicated his career to helping injured victims as a trial attorney with an emphasis on automobile negligence, no-fault insurance, lead poisoning in children, and premises liability litigation. His experience working as a defense attorney has provided him with valuable insight into how insurance companies and defense attorneys view and defend personal injury cases. He also is a skilled appellate lawyer, having briefed and argued numerous cases before the Michigan Court of Appeals as well as the Michigan Supreme Court.
A resident of Bloomfield Hills, Economy received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University. A native of Bloomfield Hills, he enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his son's baseball team, and cheering on University of Michigan athletic teams.
What would surprise people about your job? That 95 percent of our work is done outside the courtroom.
Why did you become a lawyer? It was always in the back of my mind. After I graduated from college I really didn't know what I wanted to do and my father encouraged me to take the LSAT and apply to law school. It was the logical choice for me based on my skill set. I love American, Classical and political history and after starting law school, I soon found that I loved the law.
What are your favorite law-related TV shows, movies, books? Film "The Verdict" with Paul Newman; book "To Kill a Mockingbird"; TV show "The Wire."
Who are your law role models? My dad Steve, because of his work ethic and integrity; my mom Tula, because she instilled in me a visceral passion for social justice; and Gerry Spence because he is the definitive trial lawyer.
If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would that be? Jim Harbaugh.
What advice do you have for someone considering law school? If you plan on practicing, be ready to work hard, graduating from law school is only the beginning of your legal education. Go into an area of the law you are passionate about because practicing law can be a grind and loving and believing in what you are doing is important to being happy in your career.
What's your proudest moment as a lawyer? Winning my first trial.
What do you do to relax? Watch Michigan football on Saturdays in the fall with my family. Watching my favorite television shows such as "Game of Thrones" and "Peaky Blinders."
What other career path might you have chosen? Football coach or history teacher.
What would you say to your 16-year-old self? Don't worry about what your peers think or say about you. Follow your passion.
Favorite local hangouts? Crispelli's Pizza in Royal Oak, our go-to place with the kids.
Favorite websites? The Wolverine michigan.rivals. com; Real Clear Politics -realclearpolitics.com.
Favorite app? Twitter.
Favorite music? Miles Davis, The Beatles, Motown, The Eagles, and The Notorious B.I.G.
What is your happiest childhood memory? Spending my summers in Clearwater, Fla., with my family.
What is your most treasured material possession? Probably our home. We have a pool, so our house is the place where we often spend time with family and friends in summer. Our neighborhood is very family oriented with treelined streets and sidewalks. It's a great place to raise our kids.
What do you wish someone would invent? A time machine. I love history. I would love to go back and meet the great people, and see important events throughout history.
What has been your favorite year so far and why? 2000 the year I began practicing law. It's also the year I married my beautiful bride Helen and started our life together.
What's the most awe-inspiring place you've ever been? Atop the Acropolis in Athens, Greece gazing up at the Parthenon, which in my mind represents the dawn of Western civilization.
If you could have one super power, what would it be? That's easy flight. Man has always wanted to fly.
What's one thing you would like to learn to do? Get my butt out of bed early and work out.
What is something most people don't know about you? I'm pretty open about myself and probably talk too much so I'm not sure if there is anything out there that people don't know about me.
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? Benjamin Franklin, Socrates, and Jesus.
What's the best advice you ever received? From my dad the key to success is hard work, preparation, and, above all else, persistence.
Favorite place to spend money? Anywhere in the world as long as I'm traveling.
What is your motto? I have two favorite quotes: "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice." Martin Luther King Jr.; "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing great or small, large or petty never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." Winston Churchill 1941.
Which living person do you most admire? My dad, Steve Economy. He is the son of Greek immigrants and started from relatively humble beginnings. He had tremendous responsibility and setbacks thrust upon him at a young age and went on to achieve amazing things in his life and career. More importantly, everything he did in his life. Every minute he worked. Every penny he saved. Every sacrifice he made all were for his family. He is my consigliere always there for me with wisdom and support.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Convincing my beautiful and intelligent wife Helen to marry me.
What is the most unusual thing you have done? I'm a pretty boring guy. The craziest thing I've ever done was run a half-marathon.
Published: Tue, Aug 15, 2017
