Edward C. Thomas is the deputy general counsel at CropLife America. Prior to joining CLA, he served for eight years as a senior attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). At DOJ, Mr. Thomas defended many federal agencies in environmental disputes and led large litigation teams in constitutional challenges through trial and appeal. Before his federal service, Mr. Thomas worked as a commercial litigator for two prominent D.C. law firms. He credits his career in environmental law to growing up in rural Minnesota and yearly trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In his spare time, Mr. Thomas coaches his youth soccer and basketball.