William S. Thomas graduated with a B.A. in Government from the University of Notre Dame in 1991, where he also received a Certificate from the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. He received his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1994, earning an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. He was Articles Editor for the Saint Louis University Public Law Review.

Bill was admitted to the Bar in Missouri in 1994 and the Bar in Illinois in 1995. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has handled cases from the trial to appellate levels in Missouri and Illinois State and Federal Courts.

Bill is an active member of The Missouri Bar, serving on several committees, The Lawyers Association of St. Louis, and The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. He is an active member of the Defense Research Institute, serving on its Products Liability and Construction committees.

Bill devotes his practice to trial work, primarily representing design professionals or other construction professionals in litigated matters. He also assists design professionals on contract reviews and consultations. In addition, he works on complex product liability or commercial litigation matters.

Education

• Saint Louis University
• J.D., 1994
• University of Notre Dame
• B.A., Government, 1991; Certificate: Hesburgh Program in Public Service
• Graduate of the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers' Trial Academy, 1995
• Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel's Trial Academy, Colorado, 1998

• Missouri
• Illinois
• United States District Courts
• Eastern District of Missouri
• Central District of Illinois
• Southern District of Illinois
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

• Selected as Missouri and Kansas "Super Lawyer," 2008, Construction Law
• Recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as an "Up and Coming Lawyer" for 2007

• The Missouri Bar
• Construction Law Committee
• The Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis
• Member-at-Large, Young Lawyers Division, 1997 - 1999
• Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
• The Lawyers Association of St. Louis
• Executive Committee Member, 2000-2003
• Treasurer, 2003-2004
• Secretary, 2004-2005
• Second Vice President, 2005 - 2006
• First Vice-President, 2006 - 2007
• President-Elect, 2007 - 2008
• President, 2008 - 2009
• Defense Research Institute
• Construction Law Committee
• Product Liability Committee
• Building Products Sub-Committee

• Principal, Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, P.C. (2000 - Present)
• Associate, Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass, P.C. (1994 - 2000)
• Law Clerk, St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office (1993 - 1994)
• Summer Intern, United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri (Summer, 1993)

• Various articles and casenotes published in "The Critical Path," the publication of the Defense Research Institute's Construction Law Committee
• Staff Reporter, St. Louis Lawyer Magazine, the monthly magazine of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (1997-1999)
• Co-Author, "Defending Design Professionals: Is Contract Language an Adequate Shield?" 64 Defense Counsel Journal 389 (July, 1997)
• Author, "Professional Responsibility for Design Documents" 14 Missouri Lawyers Weekly 952 (August 7, 2000)
• Co-Author, Missouri Bar CLE Deskbook Series, Professional Liability Deskbook, Chapter 4, "Design Professional Liability" (2005)
• Author, "Redevelopment and Remodeling Projects Pose Different Risks for Designers," Law Day Collection of Articles: The Legal Side of Redevelopment, Rehab, Renovation & Rental, Published by the Missouri Bar, May 2006
• Author, "Fair Housing Act Amendments: Celebrating 20th Anniversary in Obscurity," DRI's For the Defense Construction Law Issue, August 2008, p. 60
• Assisted in the preparation of "The Liability of Design Professionals to Third Party Non-Clients," for the International Association of Defense Counsel Construction Law Seminar, Spring 1997
• Faculty Member, "Missouri and Illinois Law for Design Professionals" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, 1997, 1998 & 1999
• Faculty Member, "Missouri Construction Law: Can this Job Be Saved?" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, 2000
• Presenter, "Liability Issues in Construction Contracts," Seminar, Charles L. Crane Agency Company, St. Louis, Missouri, May 2001
• Faculty Member, "Construction Claims in Missouri" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, August 2001
• Faculty Member, "Inside the Jury Box: An In-depth Discussion of Juror Perspectives" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, August 2001
• Faculty Member, "Claim Prevention for Missouri Design Professionals" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, January 2002
• Faculty Member, "Let's Make a Deal: Understanding Construction Contracts" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, May 2002
• Faculty Member, "Solving Water Intrusion and Mold Problems in Missouri" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, December 2002
• Faculty Member, "Water Intrusion and Toxic Mold Claims," Topic: Defending Mold Claims, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, May 2004
• Presenter, "Product Liability Essentials: Hints, Pointers and Tips for Handling Missouri Product Liability Claims," Seminar, Gallagher Bassett Agency, St. Louis, Missouri, November 2005
• Faculty Member, "Legal Issues for Missouri Professional Engineers," Topic: Complying with Laws and Regulations on the Practice and Unauthorized Practice of Professional Engineering, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, November 2005
• Faculty Member, "The Fundamentals of Construction Contracts: Understanding the Issues in Illinois," Topic: Contractual Relationships with Design Professionals, Seminar, Fairview Heights, Illinois, January 2006
• Faculty Member, "Tort Reform in Missouri: One Year Later: 'Are We There Yet?'" Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, June 2006.
• Faculty Member, "Product Liability," Topic: Depositions of Parties, Corporate Representatives, and Mediation Strategies, Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, July 2006.
• Faculty Member, "Design Law for Missouri Architects and Engineers," Topic: Laws and Regulations Governing the Design Process, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, September 2006.
• Faculty Member, "How Design Documents Can Prevent or Cause Construction Claims in Missouri," Topic: Regulations and Statutes Relating to Designers, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, January 2007.
• Faculty Member, "Legal Issues for Missouri Design Professionals," Topic: Professional Conduct and the Standard of Care, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, May 2007.
• Presenter, "OSHA Standards, Violations and 'Multi-Employer' Jobsites," Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, June 2007.
• Faculty Member, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) All Industry Day Seminar, Topic: "Presentation of a Mock Trial," April 2008.
• Presenter, "Enforceability of Limitation of Liability Clauses in Construction Contracts," Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, May 2008.
• Faculty Member, Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference Trial College, Topic: "Client Preparation, Depositions, Direct and Cross-Examination," Osage Beach, Missouri, June 2008.
• Faculty Member, "Legal Issues for Missouri Professional Engineers," Topic: Complying with Missouri Rules and Regulations on the Practice of Professional Engineering, Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, September 2008.
• Presenter, "Enforceability of Limitation of Liability Clauses in Construction Contracts," Seminar, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2008.
• Moderator, "Fundamentals of Construction Contracts: Understanding the Issues," Missouri Bar CLE Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, October 2008.
• Speaker, DRI Product Liability Conference, Topic: "Update on the Class Action Fairness Act and Developments in Consumer Protection Legislation," San Diego, California, April 2009.
• Speaker, Construction Seminar, Topic: "Update on Enforceability of Limitation of Liability Clauses," Seminar, New York, New York, May 2009.
• Speaker, St. Louis Business Journal Seminar, "Trends in Trial Technology," Topic: A Practitioner's Perspective, June 2009.