New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 1
William Neil Thomas
Michigan State University College Of Law alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1970, registered office in Chattanooga, TN. A half-lifetime's worth of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1970
- Admitted
- 56
- Years in bar
- 2283927
- NY reg #
The record in one line
William Neil Thomas has spent 56 years on the register since admission in 1970, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 98% tenure percentile.
- 56 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #1 of 15
- by tenure in Chattanooga office peers
- Law school
- Michigan State University College Of Law
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
William Neil Thomas has carried New York bar registration 2283927 for the better part of a career, still active and in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 1, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Thomas & Thomas, located in Chattanooga, TN, ZIP 37421. 1 other attorney shares this firm affiliation in the registry. Educational background: Michigan State University College of Law (356 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 56 years, William Neil Thomas has remained part of the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
William Neil Thomas's 56 years since a 1970 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
56 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
56 Top 2% higher than 98% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
Tenure among Chattanooga, TN office peers
Within Chattanooga, TN's 15-attorney local set, William Neil Thomas is #1 by tenure, a small-cohort read, not a statewide claim. See the Chattanooga attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #1
- City cohort
- 15
- Local percentile
- 0th
- Admitted
- 1970
Nearest tenure peers in Chattanooga
- Ronald S. Gimple admitted 1984 · 42 yr
- David Richard Eichenthal admitted 1990 · 36 yr
- Kristina Hendrickson Allaire admitted 2001 · 25 yr
- Jason David Hickey admitted 2002 · 24 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of September 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How William compares to fellow Michigan State University College Of Law alumni
Among the 298 Michigan State University College Of Law graduates in the New York register, William Neil Thomas is longer-tenured than 99%.
56 years vs. Michigan State University College Of Law alumni
Years since admission - 298 NY-registered alumni of this school
56 Top 1% higher than 99% of 298 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
Michigan State University College Of Law's active-bar rate
Of Michigan State University College Of Law's 356 alumni in the New York register, 84.3% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1970 admission class today
Of the 1,615 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1970, 37.4% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 2283927
- Year Admitted
- 1970 (56 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 1
- Next Registration
- Jun 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- Thomas & Thomas
- City
- Chattanooga, TN
- ZIP Code
- 37421
- Phone
- (423) 910-9100
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
William Neil Thomas's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Same firm affiliation: Thomas & Thomas
Other NY-registered attorneys who share this firm name on the OCA register (not a geographic peer set).
View all attorneys at this firm →Near-tenure Michigan State University College Of Law alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1970 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1970), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1970 whose listed office city differs from Chattanooga, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for William Neil Thomas: closest NY bar admission year outside TN, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~16 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1970)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
Verify on NY Courts Attorney SearchNearby Attorneys in Chattanooga, TN
Compare credentials side-by-side
Compare William Neil Thomas with similar attorneys in Chattanooga.
Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
William Neil Thomas's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is William Thomas licensed?
William Thomas is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was William Neil Thomas admitted to the bar?
William Neil Thomas's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1970.
Where did William Neil Thomas go to law school?
William Neil Thomas attended Michigan State University College of Law.
What company does William Neil Thomas work for?
William Neil Thomas is associated with Thomas & Thomas in Chattanooga, TN.
Is William Neil Thomas in good standing?
Yes, William Neil Thomas holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.