Thomas A. Briggs

Thomas A. Briggs is a Shareholder at Mase Seitz Briggs and has been practicing law with the firm for over 15 years. Although now a trial attorney in Miami, Florida, Thomas is originally from Ontario, Canada. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Boston University in 1999, where as an undergraduate, he was a member of several academic honor societies, in addition to teaching various athletic courses in the Physical Education Department.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Thomas went on to receive his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 2003. While in law school, Thomas served as a certified legal intern with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Thomas also participated in the Helping Others Through Pro Bono Efforts (H.O.P.E. Project).

Having successfully litigated, tried, arbitrated, and negotiated hundreds of cases in Florida, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Mase Seitz Briggs legal team. During his time with the firm, Mr. Briggs represented a major cruise line when a ship was struck by a large storm with hurricane force winds and giant waves resulting in injuries to passengers. A class action suit was brought with passengers alleging the cruise line sent a ship into the path of the storm. Tom won summary judgment on punitive damages with the court agreeing that the cruise line did not deliberately put passengers in danger. In another significant case, Mr. Briggs was able to successfully have class certification denied in a matter involving passengers onboard a ship which caught fire and was rendered without propulsion for several days. Passengers were stranded in allegedly squalid conditions. Following a 3-week trial, the plaintiffs, who sought over $30 million in damages, were awarded a total of only $119,500.

Thomas is a member of the Florida Bar. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and the United States District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. He is
also admitted to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Thomas is a member of the Dade County Bar Association, Boston University Alumni Association and the University of Miami Alumni
Association. He is also a volunteer for Cure On Wheels, a non-profit organization, which raises funds for cancer research.