core/src/main/java/com/twitter/elephantbird/util/ThriftUtils.java
public static<M extends TBase<?, ?>> TypeRef<M> getTypeRef(String thriftClassName) {
    return getTypeRef(thriftClassName, null);
  }
public static<M extends TBase<?, ?>> TypeRef<M> getTypeRef(String thriftClassName) {
    return getTypeRef(thriftClassName, null);
  }
returns TypeRef for a thrift class.