Tom Andersen’s family roots in small towns in the Midwest led him to Gwinnett County right after his graduation from Emory Law School at a time when Gwinnett’s population was only 70,000 people. The smalltown practice he expected for a lifetime and loved for his first few years as a lawyer disappeared in the explosive growth the county experienced. Fortunately, Tom also loved learning and solving complex legal issues, and he evolved as a lawyer as the county grew to its present population of almost 1,000,000 people. His intellect and his dedication to his clients led to a large and loyal client following.
Starting out as a generalist handling diverse areas of the law, Tom’s practice included jury trials, real estate matters, contract and corporate law, estate planning and bank regulatory work. In his first year as a lawyer, Tom had the heady experience of appearing before the United States Supreme Court in a death penalty case. Despite his success as trial lawyer, Tom felt the influence of his grandfather who owned a bank in rural Minnesota and decided to focus on transactional law with an emphasis on banking law. As a transactional lawyer Tom has represented numerous banks in regulatory compliance, commercial lending and loan work outs. In addition, Tom has an extensive practice in real estate acquisition, investment and development. Tom was the lead attorney for the purchase of the Atlanta Beltline from Norfolk Southern Railway, and he was lead attorney for the same client in the sale of the Beltline to the City of Atlanta. Tom handled the legal work for the assemblage of the fee simple, easement and license interests necessary to construct and operate the 5.1 mile conveyer belt to move dirt and rock from various locations in Clayton County to construct the runway serving Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. Most recently Tom has been involved in the complex sale of a large landfill and quarry operation for a long time client.
Tom has been recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer for more than a decade. In 2016 he was named Real Estate Lawyer of the Year for Greater Atlanta by The Best Lawyers in America.
Tom has always loved Gwinnett County and has made community service an important part of his life. He has held leadership positions in many Gwinnett civic and charitable organizations. He agreed to serve in 2019 as Chairman of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce where he has actively participated throughout his career, including serving a prior term as Chairman 20 years ago. He has received numerous awards including being named as 2018 Citizen of the Year (along with his wife, Ethel) by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. He has particular love for Georgia Gwinnett College and serves on its board of trustees.
Honors
Recognized in the milestone 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his exceptional work in Real Estate Law, 2023
