Erik Ness practices in the areas of energy, communications, water, and environmental and land use law. He has represented numerous utility end-users on matters involving contract negotiations, competitive procurement and grant applications. He also counsels highly-regulated utility industry clients, preparing and filing regulatory, legislative and court documents on their behalf. He has represented utility consumers in administrative agency proceedings and on appeal. In environmental and land use matters, he has counseled clients on obligations related to contaminated properties and assessed clean-up strategies and insurance coverage issues. Erik was a key member of a team of Shipman & Goodwin attorneys that represented the successful plaintiffs in a jury trial seeking damages for a Town's bad faith use of eminent domain and takings clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Erik has litigated cases involving telecommunications, insurance coverage and bad faith in both state and federal court.

Prior to joining the firm, Erik managed high-exposure environmental claims for a major Connecticut insurance company, and before earning his law degree, he worked as a geologist for a Connecticut based environmental consulting firm. In his seven years with the firm, he designed and implemented field investigations for government and electric power utility clients and managed field investigations for numerous former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites in New York and Rhode Island. He also managed field work for remedial action investigations involving four sites at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base Superfund Site located in Groton, Connecticut.

Erik served as law clerk to the Honorable Francis X. Hennessy and to the Honorable E. Eugene Spear, Judges of the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Erik Ness practices in the areas of energy, communications, water, and environmental and land use law. He has represented numerous utility end-users on matters involving contract negotiations, competitive procurement and grant applications. He also counsels highly-regulated utility industry clients, preparing and filing regulatory, legislative and court documents on their behalf. He has represented utility consumers in administrative agency proceedings and on appeal. In environmental and land use matters, he has counseled clients on obligations related to contaminated properties and assessed clean-up strategies and insurance coverage issues. Erik was a key member of a team of Shipman & Goodwin attorneys that represented the successful plaintiffs in a jury trial seeking damages for a Town's bad faith use of eminent domain and takings clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Erik has litigated cases involving telecommunications, insurance coverage and bad faith in both state and federal court.

Prior to joining the firm, Erik managed high-exposure environmental claims for a major Connecticut insurance company, and before earning his law degree, he worked as a geologist for a Connecticut based environmental consulting firm. In his seven years with the firm, he designed and implemented field investigations for government and electric power utility clients and managed field investigations for numerous former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites in New York and Rhode Island. He also managed field work for remedial action investigations involving four sites at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base Superfund Site located in Groton, Connecticut.

Erik served as law clerk to the Honorable Francis X. Hennessy and to the Honorable E. Eugene Spear, Judges of the Connecticut Appellate Court.

EDUCATION

Western New England College School of Law, J.D., 1999, cum laude

University of Rhode Island, B.S., 1989

Bar Admissions

Connecticut

Court Admissions

United States District Court District of Connecticut

Distinctions

* Certified Professional Geologist (Pennsylvania)

Professional Affiliations

* Connecticut Bar Association

* Connecticut Power & Energy Society

* Association of Energy Engineers, Connecticut Chapter

Community Involvement

* Greater Hartford Legal Assistance

* Swim Across the Sound for St. Vincent's Hospital

* Two time Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship finisher