James A. Friedman

James Friedman, Partner, is Co-Chair of the firm’s Public Law Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate and Environmental Practice Group. Mr. Friedman has extensive experience with legislative, administrative and executive policy matters at the federal, state, and local levels of government.Mr. Friedman also has a broad background encompassing environmental law, beginning with his litigating the first case involving the siting of high voltage transmission lines. Other experience includes his involvement in the negotiation and litigation between the State of Ohio and transportation suppliers dealing with the issue of state and local governments’ ability to control the transportation of nuclear waste.

Mr. Friedman also played a key role in the federal agency litigation of power plant emission standards. He is recognized for his knowledge of the legal implications of environmental issues as demonstrated by invitations to appear before such groups as the National Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives, the Air Pollution Control Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Edison Electric Institute. Mr. Friedman is a former judicial clerk to Paul C. Weick, Chief Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Mr. Friedman served as Chief of Staff to Governor John J. Gilligan. He is a former Director of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and a former chairman of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. He is a former Vice chair of the National Finance Council of the Democratic National Committee and co-author of The Silent Alliance, a book on the topic of acid rain and electricity imports.