Thomas Gowen has served as a Special Master in the United States Court of Federal Claims for twelve years. The eight Special Masters have full trial court authority to hear and decide all vaccine injury claims in the United States. Prior to joining the court, he practiced law for thirty-seven years focusing on complex tort cases in multiple states including medical malpractice, product liability, brain injury, carbon monoxide poisoning and automobile torts. Through his experience he has developed a significant knowledge of medicine at the cellular level in vaccine cases and more generally in malpractice, carbon monoxide and brain injury cases. He has successfully mediated multiple cases within the Vaccine Court.
Background
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor -1977 – Villanova University
Bachelor of Arts – 1971 Haverford College
Recipient of Steven Miller Award in Political Science from Haverford College
Fellow and Faculty Member of the National College of Advocacy
Special Master, United States Court of Federal Claims 2014 to March 2026.
EMPLOYMENT
Partner/Attorney Locks Law Firm, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2004 to 2014
Attorney / Partner Murphy, Oliver, Caiola and Gowen P.C. 1997-2004
Attorney – Caiola, Caiola and Gowen 1977 to 1997 Partner /1982 to 1997
Securities Analyst – Continental Bank 1971 to 1974
LEGAL PROFESSION APPOINTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association 2000-2014
Member of the Faculty of the National College of Advocacy 1987 to 2014.
Member and Chairman of a Special Hearing Committee of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board 1994 to 2000.
Member for fifteen years and Chairman for two years of the Montgomery Bar Association Continuing Education Committee
Professional
Special Master
United States Court of Federal Claims
1401 H St. NW
Washington, D.C.
March 2014 to March 2026
Prior to Court Appointment
Partner
Locks Law Firm
Suite 720 E
The Curtis Center
601 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
A/V Rated by Martindale Hubbell
CONCENTRATION OF PRACTICE
The eight Special Masters on the United States Court of Federal Claims have full judicial authority to manage, try and decide all vaccine injury claims in the United States. As of March 2026, I am retiring from the Vaccine Court. On the Court I have heard and decided hundreds of cases involving Vaccine Causation of autoimmune and SIRVA injuries as well as leading cases in attorneys’ fees. I also mediated multiple cases to settlement obviating the need for trial.
Prior to appointment to the Court, I practiced law in the Philadelphia area for 37 years. My practice concentrated in the field of complicated negligence, medical malpractice, products liability industrial negligence, brain damage from chronic carbon monoxide exposure, civil litigation, representation of non-profit organizations, automobile and business litigation. I have also handled small business work, domestic relations and estate litigation. I am admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and multiple Federal Courts including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, The Third Circuit, The DC Circuit and the Courts of Appeal as well as the United States Court of Federal Claims.
Publications
C1O1 Counsel, Trial Magazine, April 2012, (Discussing the handling of carbon monoxide cases)
The Investigation of an Environmental Cancer Cluster Case, Toxic Torts Westlaw Journal, Volume 30, Issue 8, May 30, 2012
Multiple articles in “Sporting Kid Magazine” on recreational safety and liability, 2011-2012.
The Recognition and Development of the Products Liability Case@, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers, book and seminar, December 2001.
Avoiding the Bar of Workmen’s Compensation with Sophisticated Theories of Liability@ 1995 ATLA Convention (presentation and publication)
“Economical Case Preparation: Developing Your Own Discovery“, National Trial Lawyer, September 1992.
“Representing a Child in Failure to Diagnose Child Abuse Case“
AM JUR TRIALS, Spring 1989 with Richard Kohlman
“Representing the Victim in a Failure to Diagnose Child Abuse Case” The Barrister, Summer 1988.
“Product Liability and Complex Tort Litigation for the Legal Assistant” Chapter in A Guide for Legal Assistants: Roles, Responsibilities and Specialization, Practicing Law Institute 1986
“Product Liability and Complex Tort Litigation for the Legal Assistant” Chapter in A Guide for Legal Assistants: Roles, Responsibilities and Specialization, Practicing Law Institute Second Edition 1991.
“The Role of the Lawyer in Recognizing Head Trauma Cases”, Trial Advocacy Foundation of Pennsylvania of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association 1986
The Philadelphia Head Injury Questionnaire with Richard Ivins Ph.D. and Lucille Curry Ph.D. published by Western Psychological Publishing Company, Los Angeles Cal. 1991. A diagnostic tool to aid lawyers, doctors and others in making an initial evaluation of head injury.
“Case Preparation Outside of Traditional Discovery Channels“, Excellence in Advocacy pgs. 177-190. ATLA Press, 1992.
“Sports Programs and Injuries – Liability Since Rutter” Pennsylvania Law Journal Reporter – April 5, 1982
“Liability of Organizations Running Athletic Programs After Rutter“ The Barrister – Summer, 1982
“Liability of Organizations Running Athletic Programs@ — Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association seminar and magazine 1991
“Economical Case Preparation: Developing Your Own Discovery@, Trial Lawyer Magazine, September 1992.
Safety Planning at Major Sporting Events To Prevent Injury@ The ATP Tournament Directors of North American, Ponte Vedra,. Florida, 1995.
“Philadelphia Program Succeeds By Helping Thousands – Not By Building Champions” – U.S. Pro Indoor Program Book 1981
“City Advanced Players Earn High Rankings and College Scholarships” U.S. Pro Indoor Program Book 1982
Continuing Legal Education
Moderator of Panel on Presenting Future Damages through Life Care Planners, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Annual Conference 2017
Member of Special Masters Faculty at US Court of Federal Claims Conference multiple years through 2024.
Lecturer Product Liability Course for the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers, Philadelphia, December, 2001.
Lecturer, Developments in Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation- Association of Trial Lawyers of America-New Jersey- Annual Boardwalk Seminar, April, 2001
Lecturer, Liability of Organizations Running Athletic Programs “From the Little Leagues to the Big Leagues,” Montgomery Bar Association 2000
Faculty Member and lecturer at the National College of Advocacy, University of Tennessee, School of Law- 1999. The Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Course planner and faculty chair for Montgomery Bar CLE Program on the Bio-Mechanics, Neuropsychology and Trial of a Head Injury Case, April 1999
Faculty member and lecturer on trial preparation at the National College of Advocacy, Birmingham Alabama, 1996, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Faculty Member and lecturer on cross examination of expert witnesses, National College of Advocacy, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Princeton, 1990
Faculty Member National College of Advocacy, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Harvard Law School, 1987.
Faculty Member – International Brain Injury Symposium, New Orleans Louisiana 1991 — Proof of Head Injury Cases.
Chairman, Continuing Legal Education Committee, Montgomery Bar Association 1990-92
Committee member 1993 to 1998.
Speaker and course planner for 3-hour seminar on bio-mechanics, neuropsychology and the presentation of the traumatic brain injury case – Montgomery Bar 1999.
Speaker at the NJ ATLA Boardwalk Seminar on preparation of the complex case outside of the traditional avenues of discovery.
Speaker at the Belli Seminar, Kansas City Missouri, 1988, Representing the Victim in a Failure to Diagnose Child Abuse Case
Speaker for Montgomery Bar Association CLE, Handling of the Uninsured-Underinsured Motorist Claim– September 1997
Chair of Montgomery Bar Association Faculty for Mandatory five hour course on Ethics for Pennsylvania Litigators 1993.
Preparing the Complex Negligence Case-Luncheon Seminar Speaker for the Montgomery County Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1988.
Course planner and speaker Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association Seminar – “Recognition and Handling of Head Trauma Case” – Philadelphia, May, 1986 and Pittsburgh, October 1986
Course Planner and Speaker – Montgomery Bar Association Programs- “Recognizing Head Injury Cases” -1985, “Recognition and Handling of Product Liability and Other Complex Tort Cases”, 1984
Proof of Head Injury Cases, 1991, Montgomery Bar Association
“Using Business Evaluation Expert to Prove Intangible Value of Business”, Montgomery County Bar Association 1985
Directorships
Chairman, Comcast U.S. Indoor Tennis Tournament-ATP Tour- 1991-1996.
National Junior Tennis League of Philadelphia, Inc. President 1987 to 1995, Vice Chairman of the Board-1972 to 1986, Counsel – 1983 to 1986, Past President – 1980 to 1983,
Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education- 1972 to 2009 , Counsel – 1982 to 2009
Philadelphia International Indoor Tennis Corporation 1975 to 1989, Chairman of Operations, U.S. Pro Indoors – 1972 to 1989.
Member Philadelphia Bid Committee for the World Cup of Soccer, 1994
Member of the Board of the Philadelphia Sports Congress
Board Member, Haverford-Bryn Mawr College Radio Corporation – 1983 to 1990
Chairman – Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center 1983-1992.
State Arbitrator for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association hearing all appeals of league decisions and with original jurisdiction of referee assault cases.
LISTINGS and HONORS
AV peer review rating by Martindale Hubbell.
Named Fellow of the National College of Advocacy
Listed in Who’s Who in International Tennis, Who’s Who in American Law,
Recipient of the Thomas Mangan Award, 1995, presented by the Middle States Tennis Association to the Man of the Year in the Middle States region for lifetime contribution to tennis in the Middle States.
Recipient, as Chairman of the Comcast U.S. Indoor, of the ATP Tour Award for the outstanding ATP Tour charity in North and South America. Presented in Frankfurt, Germany 1994.
Recipient of the Seymour Coren Award for the outstanding contribution to tennis in the Philadelphia area-1983.