Tom Wells is the founding partner of Wells, Jaworski & Liebman LLP (www.wellslaw.com), a 30 year old Paramus, New Jersey-based commercial and corporate law firm. He served as the firm’s first Managing Partner and guided its growth to its present status as a highly respected firm. After stepping down as Managing Partner, Tom remained the CFO and one of the firm’s three Administrative Partners. Tom concentrates his practice in real estate, land use, business, commercial, and non-profit areas. As also the owner of a number of business enterprises, Tom has significant expertise in the area of business client representation and complex financing arrangements for real estate development and business working capital. For more than twenty years, Tom has enjoyed an AV (highest possible) Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell national lawyers directory.
In addition to the law firm, Tom Wells is the Managing Partner of Wells Mountain LLC, a real estate development and management firm with properties principally in the state of Vermont, including five restorations of historic buildings into modern, successful commercial properties with over 45 tenants. Tom is also a “banker,” having served nine years on the Board of Directors of Cascade Bancorp, a Bend, Oregon-based bank holding company.
Tom also enjoys numerous philanthropic and civic involvements, including over 30 years of active participation in both Rotary International and the YMCA, principally as an Officer, Director and Trustee of the Ridgewood, New Jersey YMCA and, in recent years, as a non-Haitian member of the Board of Directors for YMCA d’Haiti. Wells principal philanthropic activity is as the Founder and President of Wells Mountain Foundation (www.wellsmountainfoundation.org) which he began 11 years ago. “WMF” is a 501(c)(3) qualified charity active in the areas of education, literacy and the arts primarily in the developing world and at last count had 82 active WMF Scholars (up from just one in 2005) studying in 24 countries, mostly in Africa. WMF is also particularly active in Haiti where Tom spearheaded the construction and development of four Container YMCA Community Centers built from former shipping containers utilizing a unique award-winning design. A fifth one is planned for 2016.
Tom is a graduate of Bucknell University, where this year he received a Distinguished Alumni Award together with his wife, Carol, and of Case Western Reserve School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, Vermont and Ohio and in various District Courts. He is a former member of the Bergen County District Ethics Committee.
Tom presently divides his time between homes in New York City, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., and Bristol, Vermont. He maintains offices in Vermont and St. Thomas, as well as Paramus, New Jersey. Tom and his wife, Carol, are avid sailors. They make their fourth “home” aboard their 50’ sailboat, Epilogue. Tom and Carol are the proud parents of three daughters.