Thomas S. Sermak

Thomas S. Sermak, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Michigan in 1970. He earned a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1972. He earned his J.D from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1978. That same year, Tom began his legal career by becoming an associate in a general practice law firm in Eugene, Oregon. In January of 1981 he joined, Public Defender Services of Lane County, Inc. and practiced there until 1984, when he again tried his hand at private practice. By December of 1987, he had come to the realization that his only professional interest was in public defense. He returned to Public Defender Services of Lane County and stayed there in various capacities until April of 2007 when he was hired by the Board of Trustees of the Public Defender of Marion County, Inc. to establish then run a Public Defender office in Salem, Marion County, Oregon. Tom retired from the Public Defender of Marion County in October, 2015.

Sermak is a member of the Marion County Public Safety Coordinating Council, the Office of Public Defense Services Contractors Advisory Committee and the OPDS Quality Assurance Task Force.