Thomas D. Domonoske
Thomas D. Domonoske

After practicing law in California starting in 1990, in 1991 he moved to North Carolina and taught classes at the University of North Carolina Law School. Mr. Domonoske then practiced as a legal aid lawyer with the Virginia Legal Aid Society in its Farmville office from 1993 to 1996. From July 1996 through August 2000, he taught as a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law. While teaching at Duke Law School, he maintained a small consumer law practice in Virginia. Since August 2000, Mr. Domonoske has been back in the practice of consumer law in Virginia. In July 2016 he joined Consumer Litigation Associates.

He has argued and won appellate cases before the Supreme Courts of Virginia and Ohio, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. His trial work has included significant victories in both state and federal courts, including protecting consumers in adversary proceedings in bankruptcy courts. From 2002 through 2008, Mr. Domonoske was a board member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. From 2007 through 2013, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Fairfield Center, a non-profit organization in Harrisonburg, Virginia, that provides mediation and conflict resolution services and trainings.

Education
  • Hastings College of Law, San Francisco, California, J.D., 1989, cum laude honors and member of its Public Interest Law Program
  • Occidental College, Los Angeles California, B.A., 1985
Bar & Court Admissions
  • Virginia State Bar, 1993
  • North Carolina State Bar, 1991 (inactive)
  • California State Bar, 1990 (inactive)
  • U.S. Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh, Ninth, Eighth, Sixth and Fourth Circuits
  • Numerous United States District Courts around the country
  • United States Bankruptcy Court for both the Eastern and the Western Districts of Virginia
Distinctions
  • 2008 John Shumate Advocate of the Year, by the Virginia Poverty Law Center.
  • In October 2013, Blue Ridge Legal Services outstanding pro-bono contributor to low-income residents.
  • Since 1993, Mr. Domonoske has given over one-hundred and eighty-five trainings and presentations. He is a regular presenter at the Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, sponsored by National Consumer Law Center, the specific topical conferences sponsored by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, and the Statewide Legal Aid Conference, sponsored by the Virginia Poverty Law Center.
Publications
  • “Establishing Claims in Auto-Fraud Cases by Determining When the Dealer Signed Title to the Consumer.” Volume 4, Issue 4, The Consumer Advocate, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 1998.
  • “The Processing Fee: How car dealers’ efforts to pad the sale price can create liability.” Winter 1999-2000 edition, Volume 12, Number 1, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association’s The Journal.
  • “A Catalogue of Deceptive Practices: Car Cases.” The Consumer Advocate, Volume 6, Issue 1, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2000.
  • “Diving into the Wreck of Deception.” Volume 6, Issue 2, The Consumer Advocate, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2000.
  • “New Issues in Consumer Credit Litigation: Truth in Lending Act Disclosures and Polk v. Crown Auto and the Problem of a Conditional Credit Sale of a Car” Corporate Law and Practice Course Handbook Series, The Practicing Law Institute, Consumer Financial Services Litigation 2001 two volume book.
  • “The Fair Credit Reporting Act’s Role in Combating Identity Theft.” Spring 2002 issue, Volume 14, Number 2, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association’s The Journal.
  • “All in the Timing- Delayed Disclosures And the Dubious Art of Deception.” Volume 8, No. 5, The Consumer Advocate, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2002.
  • “An Arbitration Agreement: A presumption that the normal functions of the appellate process are simply unnecessary.” Winter 2002/2003 issue, Volume 15, No. 1, The Virginia Trial Lawyer Association’s The Journal.
  • “Keeping America’s Economy Strong: Enforcing Consumer Protection Law As Congress Intended.” Volume 9, No. 2, The Consumer Advocate, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2003.
  • “The Financial Industry Fuels Revival of Trade School Scams.” Volume 9, No. 4, The Consumer Advocate, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2003.
  • “When your client’s claim falls under a pre-dispute mandatory binding arbitration clause.” 2009 issue, Volume No. 3, the Virginia Trial Lawyer Association’s The Journal.
  • “Due process: Why Bates v. McQueen applies to the Federal Arbitration Act.” 2009 issue, Volume No. 3, the Virginia Trial Lawyer Association’s The Journal.
  • “Four Important Federal Laws Protecting Consumers.” The Jewish Veteran, Volume 69, Number 2, 2015.
  • Since March 1999, Mr. Domonoske has participated in revisions for many of the National Consumer Law Center’s manuals, including the Truth in Lending Act Manual, Student Loan Law, Credit Discrimination, Fair Credit Reporting Manual, and Automobile Fraud.
Awards & Recognition

virginia lawyers weekly up and coming lawyers 2021
Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Up & Coming Lawyers 2021


 

Success Stories

Sanders v. Global Radar Acquisition – $3.6 million settlement
CLA resolved the FCRA claims of a class of consumers on whom Global Radar provided background checks without obtaining the appropriate certifications from the users...
Gibbs v. Rees and TCV – $50 million settlement
CLA represented a national class of consumers who borrowed money at what they believed were legal rates because of the lenders’ supposed alignment with American...
Berry v. LexisNexis Risk Management, Inc. – groundbreaking settlement
CLA represented a class of consumers against a company that claimed the FCRA did not apply to it, so it would not comply with any...
Brim v. Midland Credit Management – $723,000 FCRA jury verdict
A federal jury returned a verdict for CLA’s client Mr. Brim against debt buyer Midland Credit Management in a case where Midland attempted to collect...
Domonoske/Rivera v. Bank of America – $10 million settlement
CLA negotiated an eight-figure settlement for a class of consumers alleging Bank of America failed to meet the FCRA’s requirement that it provide certain credit...
Hargrett v. Amazon.com – $5 million settlement
CLA resolved the FCRA claims of approximately 454,000 consumers that led to one of the country’s largest employers revising its background-check procedures so they would...
Thomas v. Equifax Information Services, LLC – watershed settlement
CLA represented a class against Equifax for violations of the FCRA relating to its reporting of public records like liens and judgments. The result was...
Moody v. Ascenda USA, Inc. – $2.5 million settlement
CLA resolved claims of nearly 50,000 consumers nationwide, and leading to both defendants revising their procedures so that they would comply with the FCRA. The...
Ridenour v. Sterling Infosystems, Inc. – $5.9 million settlement
CLA represented a nationwide class of 36,002 consumers on whom Sterling sold background checks to employers. All told, a national class and a subclass of...
Gibbs v. Plain Green, LLC and Great Plains Lending, LLC – $55 million groundbreaking settlement
CLA represented classes against lenders Plain Green, LLC and Great Plains Lending, LLC for violations of federal and various state laws by (a) making and...
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Thomas D. Domonoske
Consumer Litigation Associates

After practicing law in California starting in 1990, in 1991 he moved to North Carolina and taught classes at the University of North Carolina Law School. Mr. Domonoske then practiced as a legal aid lawyer with the Virginia Legal Aid Society in its Farmville office from 1993 to 1996. From July 1996 through August 2000, he taught as a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law. While teaching at Duke Law School, he maintained a small consumer law practice in Virginia. Since August 2000, Mr. Domonoske has been back in the practice of consumer law in Virginia. In July 2016 he joined Consumer Litigation Associates.

He has argued and won appellate cases before the Supreme Courts of Virginia and Ohio, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. His trial work has included significant victories in both state and federal courts, including protecting consumers in adversary proceedings in bankruptcy courts. From 2002 through 2008, Mr. Domonoske was a board member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. From 2007 through 2013, he also served on the Board of Directors of the Fairfield Center, a non-profit organization in Harrisonburg, Virginia, that provides mediation and conflict resolution services and trainings.

Consumer Litigation Associates 763 J. Clyde Morris Blvd. Suite 1-A Newport News, Virginia 23601 (757) 930-3660
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