Shipman & Goodwin Hires Former Connecticut DEEP Legal Director to Lead Environmental Work in Hartford

Experienced DEEP lawyer joins Shipman’s Hartford team

Shipman & Goodwin has hired Brendan Schain, the former legal director at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, as a partner in its Hartford office. The firm announced the move in mid-December 2025. Schain starts immediately and will join Shipman’s environmental and energy practice group, where he will advise clients on permitting, enforcement and regulatory strategy.

The hire gives clients direct access to an attorney who spent years handling high-profile state regulatory matters. For readers, the switch matters because Schain’s knowledge of how the state evaluates projects and enforces rules can speed approvals or help companies avoid costly setbacks.

His move follows growing demand for lawyers who understand both state policy and the practical steps companies must take when projects face legal or technical review.

From state regulator to private practice: Schain’s track record

At DEEP, Schain rose to the role of legal director, managing litigation, permitting appeals, and rulemaking work across pollution control, wetlands, climate programs and utility regulation. He led legal teams on cases involving enforcement actions, contested permits and agreements with developers and utilities. Colleagues at the agency credited him with steadying complex matters that crossed technical, legal and political lines.

Before his time as legal director, Schain was involved in negotiating consent orders, advising on environmental impact reviews, and helping write or defend regulations tied to Connecticut’s clean energy goals. His work touched the permitting of major infrastructure and renewable projects, as well as responses to contamination and water resource disputes.

The mix of courtroom experience and behind-the-scenes rulemaking is the kind of background firms often seek when they represent clients facing tough state reviews. Moving from a senior role at a state agency to private practice means Schain will be familiar with the technical demands regulators impose and the practical steps project teams need to move forward.

Why Shipman added Schain and who stands to gain

Shipman & Goodwin is bringing Schain on to strengthen its environmental regulatory counsel. His arrival boosts the firm’s ability to handle contested permits, enforcement defense, and counseling companies on regulatory approvals tied to clean energy and infrastructure work. Typical clients who stand to benefit include energy developers, utilities, municipalities, and private companies with contaminated sites or complex permitting needs.

For the firm, the hire fits a broader push to expand services that intersect with state policy and energy transition work. For clients, it offers a lawyer who knows the pathways and pitfalls inside Connecticut government and can translate that knowledge into realistic plans for advancing projects or managing disputes.

Connecticut’s environmental push and what it means for projects

Connecticut has been sharpening its attention on permitting, enforcement and the push to meet clean energy targets. The state is juggling faster approvals for renewables with stricter oversight on pollution and natural resources. That creates more points of contact — and potential conflict — between project teams and DEEP staff.

Someone who spent years inside DEEP will understand the agency’s priorities, timing pressures and likely sticking points. That perspective can matter for a solar or transmission project seeking permits, a utility navigating rate-case related environmental conditions, or a developer resolving legacy contamination.

In short, Schain’s background is timely because regulatory work in the region is getting more active and more scrutinized.

Firm remarks, Schain’s comment, and next steps for clients

In the firm’s announcement, Shipman & Goodwin said it was “pleased to welcome” Schain and highlighted his knowledge of state environmental law. Schain said he looks forward to helping clients navigate regulatory paths and advance energy and development projects.

He will be based in Hartford and join the firm’s environmental and energy team. Clients should contact the Hartford environmental practice for availability.

New hires from state agencies can trigger recusal or screening obligations for certain matters. Shipman said it will follow all ethical rules while making Schain available for new work.

Sources

• prnewswire.com