RTP Commission

James L. Shea

Chairman Emeritus, Venable LLP
Senate President's appointee

James L. Shea is Chair Emeritus of Venable, LLP, a Global 100 law firm with over 800 attorneys located in Washington/Baltimore, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. He served as Managing Partner/Chair of the firm from 1994 to 2017. He maintains an active litigation practice representing a wide range of corporations, non-profits, and individuals. He was elected to membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2002.

Mr. Shea has long been involved in the Maryland community. He is past Chair of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland, the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, and the Empower Baltimore Management Corporation. He has also served as a member of the boards of the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Equal Justice Council, the Calvert School, Mercantile Bankshares, and many others.

Mr. Shea graduated from Princeton University, cum laude in 1974 and University of Virginia School of Law, order of the coif in 1977. He was a law clerk for the Honorable Joseph H. Young, United States District Court for the District of Maryland, 1977-1978, and served as an Assistant Attorney General from 1981 to 1983.