Having led environmental expeditions to every continent, Tom Mullikin brings a unique blend of first-hand experience, critical legal analysis, and community and stakeholder involvement to the leadership of his firm’s government, policy and regulatory affairs team. His extensive travel, including multiple trips to the Arctic and Antarctic, provide context to his work as a senior environmental attorney. Tom partners with clients to address the practical social, political, and environmental impacts of climate change.  

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Tom presently serves as Research Professor at Coastal Carolina University and previously served as Associate Director of Law and Policy Doctorate Program at Northeastern University. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Lecturer on climate change at the Illinois‘ Governors State University and at Loyola University New Orleans, presented in the University of the Ozarks Distinguished Speaker Series, the University of Edinburgh, Oxford University, England, Trinity College, Ireland, St. Petersburg State University, Russia and the Institute of Geology at Tallinn University of Technology. He has spoken on the intersection of the economy and our environmental challenges at international conferences such as the Woodrow Wilson Center Cross Border Energy Forum, and in Australia, Russia, Estonia, Taiwan, Peru, Argentina, Antarctica, Namibia, the Czech Republic, and across the United States in conjunction with industry associations and state and regional chambers of commerce. For his work in 2013-2014, Tom was recognized by the Fijian Permanent Secretary of Lands and Mineral Resources Tevita Boseiwaqa for leading a team of experts on behalf of the UNDP-ABA and serving as a liaison to the Fijian government in drafting expansive comments and recommendations for legislation aimed at protecting the Pacific island nation’s rich mineral resources.

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In 2005, Tom led a team of researchers and environmental experts on an Antarctica expedition studying the effects of climate change on the polar  regions. He told the story of this expedition in a video documentary, Climate Change: Global Problems, Global Solutions, which received widespread acclaim in both business and environmental circles, and was broadcast on New Hampshire Public   Television, with a Boston-area viewership of more than 2.4 million households. He has led subsequent expeditions to the Namib  Desert of Africa, the Amazon River Basin of Peru, and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to highlight the global effects of climate change. He highlighted these expeditions in his subsequent documentary, The Whole Truth, which was featured at the Charleston Film Festival and broadcast on the Halogen  Network to over 13 million homes in the United States. The Whole Truth received acclaim through the award of a Telly Award Bronze Medal in the feature documentary category and a Bronze in the social issues category. Tom also received a Telly Award Bronze Medal in the educational category for producing his video, An Introduction to Climate Change. The Telly Awards recognize the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. In 2010, Tom undertook additional investigative expeditions to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland and the highest peak on Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tom has studied water related concerns in certified scuba dives in all oceans on earth and climbed to the summit of the highest mountains on four continents, Mt. Elbrus (Europe), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia) and Mt. Aconcagua (South America).                                                               

Tom is the author of The Maxims of Politics: Making Government Work, which was named the Award-Winner in the Business Category of the 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement in independently published books. Tom has also authored Profiles in Optimism: Stories of Brave Individuals Who Looked at Adversity and Saw Hope, Sportsman Environmentalist, Global Solutions: Demanding Total Accountability for Climate Change, and Truck Stop Politics: Understanding the Emerging Force of Working Class America. He has been widely  published in both legal and mainstream periodicals, including UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 

 

Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Campaigns and Elections Magazine, South Carolina Jurisprudence, Navigating the Government Contracts Process,  Vital Speeches of the Day and Well Servicing Magazine. Further, he has been quoted for his experience in both the law and the environment by Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Associated Press, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, Charlotte Observer, Richmond Times Dispatch, Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Duluth News Tribune, Hibbing Daily Tribune, Wichita Eagle, San Antonio Express News, Spectrum & Daily News, Business North, Business News Publishing Co., Rocky Mountain News, West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Salt Lake Tribune, Post and Courier, Hamilton Spectator, Cleveland Daily Banner, Natural Awakenings Charlotte, World Defense Review, Canada Free Press, and Huntinamibia. He also has appeared on numerous broadcast networks and their affiliates, including CSPAN, PBS, FOX, NBC, CBS and ABC.

 

Tom previously served as Chief Counsel and Vice President for Public Affairs at one of the largest environmental services companies in the world. He has served on state legislative and congressional staff, and as an advisor and campaign manager to senior members of Congress and U.S. Presidential candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties. Tom has obtained certification as an Environmental Management Systems Auditor.

 

Tom currently serves as Commander of the South Carolina State Guard. Previously he served with the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps, USAR, where he was the Assistant Staff Judge Advocate for the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations, United States Army Special Operations Command. For his service, he has been awarded, among other honors, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (JSD), Medal of Merit (State Guard) and Honorary Green Beret by Special Forces (S.C. Chapter). Tom is a member of, and an award recipient from, the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team. Tom serves on a variety of foundations and boards, including the board of directors for the U.S. Army Special Forces Foundation (S.C. Chapter). Tom is a member of, and an award recipient from, the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team.  Tom serves on a variety of foundations and boards, including the board of directors for the U.S. Army Special Forces Foundation (S.C. Chapter). Tom has also been awarded airborne parachute jump badges from Germany, Serbia, Croatia, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Royal Laotian Parachutist Badge. Tom has been awarded the title of Ironman Outdoors (Sandhills chapter). Additionally, Tom is a U.S. Army Master Fitness Trainer and Self Defense Instructor (Black Belt in Karate) and he serves as a member of the Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Department Underwater Recovery (dive) Unit. Tom has received the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the State of South Carolina.