Thomas Girardi, also known as Tom Girardi, is the former husband of popular American television show Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Erika Jayne, a successful lawyer. He is the founder of the law firm Girardi & Keese with his partner Robert Keese. His firm helps people in compensation cases like severe physical injuries, toxic exposure, wrongful termination, and wrongful death.
One of the most prominent cases of Tom Girardi was against Pacific Gas & Electric, which inspired them to make a film Erin Brokovich (2000) starring Julia Roberts.
Throughout Tom's career, his life became scandalous due to embezzlement lawsuit and divorce. Let's find out about him.
Tom Girardi Net Worth And Career
Tom Girardi is an American lawyer who has a net worth of $30 million throughout his career.
Tom Girardi established the law firm, Girardi & Keese with his partner Robert Keese in 1965. Girardi was the first attorney to win more than $1 million for a case of medical malpractice in 1970. He also took the case against companies such as Lockheed Corp, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Girardi has served as the President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Also, Girardi became the first trial lawyer in history to serve on the California Judicial Council.
Tom has gone through many scandalous cases, such as against Lockheed, between 1992 and 2001. After winning the case in 2016, Girardi and his law firm were sued by Paul Kranich and attorney Peter Dion-Kindem to mishandle the funds.
Asides from this case, Tom and his former wife, Erika Jayne, were accused of embezzlement funds meant for an air crash victim. It is theorized that Tom and his former wife got a divorce to protect themselves against the lawsuits.
Is Erika Jayne Still Married With Tom Girardi?
Tom Girardi has been married three times.
Tom married his first wife, Karen Weitzul, on 29 August 1964. After married for 28 years, Tom divorces his first wife and married his second wife, Kathy Riser, in September 1993. Shortly they got a divorce. He then got married for the third time to Erika Jayne.
Tom Girardi and his third-wife Erika Jayne (©: hollywoodlife.com)
According to people.com, Tom and Erika Jayne meet for the first time at the L.A. restaurant where Erika worked as a cocktails waitress, and Tom was a regular customer. Erika first pursues Tom by giving her her phone number. Shortly they started to contact each other and started to date.
After a few months of dating, Erika moved in with Tom. In six months of live-in-relation, Tom proposed to Erika and got married in 1999, where they meet in the same restaurant where they had first met.
Tom and Erika always have issues of an age gap between them, especially Ericka, who landed a role in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Erika's alter-ego was the complete opposite of the original. She was a bold singer with an unapologetic attitude, which Tom support.
Tom and Erika's love story came to an end when Erika filed for divorce on 3 November 2020 after 21 years of marriage.
In a statement obtained by people.com, Erika said:
"After much consideration, I have decided to end my marriage to Tom Girardi. This is not a step taken lightly or easily. I have great love and respect for Tom and for our years and the lives we built together. It is my absolute wish to proceed through this process with respect and with the privacy that both Tom and I deserved. I request others give us that privacy as well."
Throughout Tom and Erika's marriage, they haven't bear a child. But from Erika's previous marriage, she has a son named Tom Zizzo Jr, born in 1994, whom Tom loves as his son.
Tom Girardi, his ex-wife Erika Jayne, and Erika's son Tom Zizzo (©: Pinterest)
'That’s the one thing I loved most about Tom when my son was younger, was that he welcomed him with open arms,' Tom said on an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 'I’m very thankful. That’s my guy.'
Who Is Tom Girardi?
American Attorney Tom Girardi was born on 3 June 1939 in Denver, Colorado. He became famous for a married cast member of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Erika Jayne.
FIND MORE: Tom Girardi Split With Erika Jayne - Look Into Past Relationships, & Net Worth
In 1957, Tom graduated from Loyola High School (Los Angeles). He finishes his undergraduate degree at Loyola Marymount University in 1962.
The 81-year old attorney Tom received a bachelor of law degree from Loyola Law School after two years. He finished his master's at New York University in 1995.