Tom Tanksley, 1968
Thomas Tanksley, attorney
With a degree in Political Science from Cal State Northridge, our BHS’68 classmate Tom Tanksley (website: www.legaltank.com) was a lieutenant in the United States Navy and became a helicopter pilot just in time for the Vietnam War to wind down — good thing! He went to Officers Candidate School but claimed “they couldn’t make me a gentleman — LOL!”
He then went to law school at the University of Arizona and has spent the last thirty+plus years as a civil litigation attorney and mediator in Las Vegas (which he calls “Sin City”), representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He opened his own office in 1998, but prior to that he was involved in many cases, trials and appeals including multi-million dollar matters covered on the pages of Las Vegas newspapers.
But, like another attorney (another John Grisham?), Tom is trying to get his first novel published! Maybe our classmate will be rich and famous and will have his book on the New York Times bestseller list! Actually, he says he is about “1/3 retired” and is enjoying life with his “original” wife, three kids, one grandchild and one on the way.
Tom says that his best vacation was spending 11 weeks in New Zealand “bumming around Navy and Law School . . . fantastic but was still happy to get back.”
Tom also loves tennis these days. He was on the Burbank High golf team but says his left shoulder “no workey so good these days.” (Join the club!) Here is a recent photo of Tom with his granddaughter.
Tom Tanksley with his granddaughter
Thanks for writing, Tom!
Burbank High Class of 1968 