About Florida Government Law Partners

Steve Thomas has extensive experience in litigation, legislative and government affairs, insurance, licensing, rulemaking, and elections. A graduate of The Florida State University College of Law with honors, Stephen has practiced administrative law, administrative litigation, and complex civil litigation in the representation of multiple Florida agencies, including the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Florida Department of Financial Services, and Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Complex Civil Litigation Section. Stephen has also served as both legal counsel and staff in the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives, including as chief legal counsel for the Florida Senate Minority Office, in addition to running and advising campaigns for public office.

Representative achievements:

• Representing the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation as legal counsel, successfully defended rule challenge of the Office’s administrative rules establishing property and casualty insurance discounts for windstorm mitigation in litigation at the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings and on appeal.
• Negotiated and drafted a multi-state settlement involving a multi-million dollar fine and Consent Agreement between life settlement provider and several States' insurance regulation agencies, including the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
• Presided over section 120.57(2) administrative hearings as an Agency Hearing Officer at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and Department of Financial Services, including conducting hearings and issuing agency final orders.
• Successfully represented the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation as counsel in prosecution of regulated life and health insurance company for fraudulent statements in litigation at the Division of Administrative Hearings and on appeal, resulting in a two-year suspension from Florida.
• Successfully defended a constitutional challenge to an agency final order in litigation in the U.S. Northern District of Florida and on appeal to the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal.

From 2016-2020, Stephen served as chief legal counsel to the Florida Senate Minority Office. He was responsible for providing advice and legislative policy analysis, drafting legislation and amendments, and providing direct support in committees and on the Senate floor during the legislative session. Stephen oversaw analysis and tracking of legislation originating in or referred to the Committees on Banking and Insurance; Innovation, Industry and Technology; Commerce and Tourism; Judiciary; Criminal Justice; and Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations.

Steve is a veteran of the United States Navy, having served as a cryptologist and Russian Linguist from 1989-1994, including tours in Turkey and Japan.