Thomas qualified as a solicitor in 1977 and has held different roles both as a practising lawyer and in law firm management.
Alongside his professional life Thomas has been actively involved with charities and not for profit organisations, this is usually as a trustee and often as the chair. These charities have followed his interests and include arts-based charities, such as Bath Festivals, Bath Theatre Trust and the Arnolfini in Bristol; and health care organisations, such as Dorothy House Hospice Care, the Royal United Hospital NHS Trust and the mental health charity RICE. He has held local roles such a parish councillor and churchwarden and he spent over ten years on the Council of Management at the University of Bath.
He is currently the chair of the Bath Preservation Trust, a campaigning and heritage charity which also runs four museums. He is also a trustee of other grant making trusts including the Bath Boules Charitable Trust which distributes the proceeds of this annual event held in Queen Square Bath.
Among his spare time interests are art, walking and gardening as well as supporting the local rugby team where he was a director when the club won the European Cup. He is married to Michelle and has two adult sons.