Jim Shea, chairman emeritus of Venable and partner in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice, has been awarded the Daily Record’s Icon Honor. This award recognizes leaders across Maryland in business, law, politics, and nonprofits who are over the age of 60. Honorees are selected for their long-standing commitment to Maryland and significant professional accomplishments through innovation and leadership. They are also champions of their industries and have demonstrated a sustained commitment to community service.
A respected attorney and civic leader, Mr. Shea has exhibited a lifelong commitment to the service of his clients, the betterment of his firm, and the well-being and prosperity of his community. He succeeded former U.S. Attorney General Benjamin R. Civiletti as Venable's managing partner in 1994 and the firm’s chair in 2006. During Mr. Shea’s tenure, Venable grew significantly, adding offices in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and expanding its capabilities in its Washington headquarters and its Baltimore and Northern Virginia offices.
Mr. Shea has also established himself as a leader within the greater Baltimore community. In 2007, Governor Martin O’Malley appointed Mr. Shea to the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland, on which he served for ten years. He is the founding chairman of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, and served as chairman of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore for four years, and on the boards of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Mercantile Bankshares Corporation, and the Equal Justice Council. He is also a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. As chairman emeritus of Venable, Mr. Shea maintains an active practice focused on complex corporate litigation.