Tom earned his undergraduate degree from WVU, in 1966, graduating magna cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1969, he graduated from the WVU College of law, where he was Editor in Chief of the West Virginia Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.  He obtained an L.L.M. in tax law from Harvard University in 1970.

In 1971, Tom, along with his brother the Hon. Joseph R. Goodwin, founded Goodwin & Goodwin. He briefly left the Firm from 1977 through 1981 to serve as State Tax Commissioner and Chief of Staff for Governor John D. Rockefeller. Tom served as managing partner of the Firm for decades and continues to provide advice and counsel to clients. He serves as a valuable advisor to both businesses and individuals, providing insightful, strategic advice in many areas. Over the course of his career, Tom has represented clients in myriad civil litigation and complex corporate matters, and he has mentored lawyers both within the Firm and across the table. In 1999, the West Virginia College of Law named a Professorship in his honor. He was honored as a WV State Bar Foundation Fellow in 2003 and invited to the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.  

Tom is married to Kathryn Sneddon Goodwin. They have two daughters—Carrie and Emily—and six grandchildren. Carrie is now the managing partner of the Firm.