Jeffrey A. Thaler
jthaler@bernsteinshur.com
Shareholder
Jeff Thaler, a senior member of Bernstein Shur's Energy, Environmental, and Litigation Practice Groups, has a wide-ranging practice that includes environmental and energy permitting, compliance, enforcement and litigation, as well as litigation for clients with commercial, medical and legal disputes, insurance coverage, personal injury, or toxic tort problems.
Jeff has been recognized for many years by Best Lawyers in America for his work in environmental and natural resources law, commercial litigation and appellate law, and by Chambers USA for both his environmental and litigation practices; and by New England Super Lawyers for his environmental work. He is the 2010 President of the American College of Environmental Lawyers, a prestigious organization for which he is also a founder and charter member. Click here to view the press release regarding Jeff becoming the president of ACOEL. In addition, he serves as Vice Chair for Lex Mundi's Environmental Practice Group. Jeff is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell and is the 2007 recipient of the Justice Louis Scolnik Award for his years of pro bono civil liberties litigation work. Jeff also represented a family, through the pro bono Trial Lawyers Care program, who lost their father in the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
In his state and federal environmental and energy practices, Jeff has been permitting counsel for on- and off-shore wind project and hydro power, LNG, and wood-to-biofuel facilities, as well as for many other commercial development projects; he also is involved in ocean energy and wind power matters, including the only deepwater wind power project in the United States. Jeff also represents clients on compliance and enforcement related matters. His clients are based all over the country. Jeff is the lead author of The Maine Environmental Law Handbook, and has taught environmental law at Maine Law School. He also serves as co-chair of the Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine.
In 2003, Jeff was trial counsel in a federal accounting case in which a jury awarded his client over $6.6 million. He also was lead trial counsel in obtaining a hard-fought settlement of more than $5 million relating to the design, construction, and operation of a waste-to-energy plant, and has several other seven-figure settlements. Jeff also has successfully defended many attorneys, law firms and businesses throughout Maine in state and federal Courts.
In 2007, Jeff created, and has since been directing, a program for Williams College students entitled "Resettling Refugees in Maine." The program brings Williams College students to Maine to live for three weeks with a refugee or immigrant family. A recently published article on the program can be found by clicking here. Jeff also helped create and taught a University of Southern Maine course entitled the "Refugee Experience: From There to Here." Jeff has also has worked each Wednesday for the past nine years as a bereavement group facilitator and program coordinator for The Center for Grieving Children.
Jeff has been married to Karen Massey since 1977. His sons Greg and Kai are 25 and 22.
EDUCATION
JD, Yale University School of Law, 1977
BA, Williams College, magna cum laude with highest honors, 1974
AFFILIATIONS
Admitted to practice:
States of Maine, New York, and New Hampshire
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court, District of Maine, Southern District of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Member:
Maine State Bar Association
American College of Environmental Lawyers (2009 President, and founder)
Lex Mundi Environmental Practice Group (Vice Chair)
Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (Co-Chair)