John Shea is a Senior Partner with the firm practicing in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate counseling, real estate transactions and development, environmental law, construction contracts and litigation, and estate planning for high net worth individuals.

He has Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for attorneys (AV Preeminent), and has been recognized by Martindale as one of “Long Island’s Top Rated Lawyers” and one of the “Top Rated Lawyers in Real Estate Law”.

Mr. Shea has also been honored by Long Island Business News with its “Leadership in Law Award,” which recognizes a select number of attorneys from across Long Island, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, both in the legal profession and in community service.

Mr. Shea began his career with a firm in Manhattan, working on corporate transactions and commercial litigation.

He was then appointed an Assistant Attorney General for New York State in the Environmental Protection Bureau where, over the course of 5 years, he handled cases including terrorist threats to the commercial transport of plutonium and other weapons grade nuclear materials through JFK and other hubs in the U.S., the siting of plutonium recycling facilities, and the criminal prosecution of hazardous waste polluters.

He was later appointed Counsel to the White House Council on Environmental Quality where he worked on matters including “worst case” accidents at nuclear facilities, the proliferation of nuclear technology and materials, and the federal regulations for the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements by U.S. agencies.

He came back from Washington to assist in the representation of local municipalities in the proceedings on the emergency plans and evacuation scenarios for the Shoreham nuclear power plant.

Soon thereafter, he formed “Twomey, Latham & Shea” with Tom Twomey and Steve Latham. Since then, the firm has grown from 3 attorneys to a regional practice, covering Manhattan to Montauk, with over 30 attorneys and 35 support staff.

A private pilot, Mr. Shea is a founding Director of Patient AirLift Services, a volunteer pilot organization that arranges flights to medical treatment for veterans and those in financial need, with over 600 pilots serving 37 States, and more than 30,000 flights since its inception.

For 8 years, Mr. Shea served as the Chairman of the environmental advocacy organization Group for the East End, and he has been a member of that Board for over 35 years.

He is also an Officer and Trustee of Guild Hall, a Long Island arts, entertainment and education center.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Suffolk County Community College Foundation for nearly 10 years, and serves as counsel to the East Hampton Health Care Foundation and LongHouse Reserve, an arts and cultural center in East Hampton.

Mr. Shea is a graduate of Georgetown University, A.B., and Fordham University School of Law, J.D.

Areas of Practice

Education

Fordham University, J.D., 1972
Georgetown University, A.B., 1969

Professional and Civic Associations

• One of the founding Directors of Patient AirLift Services, Inc., a volunteer pilot organization
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Guild Hall, an arts, entertainment and education center on Eastern Long Island
• Former Chairman of the environmental advocacy organization, Group For The East End, for 8 years, and continuing member of the Board of Directors for over 30 years
• Member of the Suffolk County Community College Foundation Board of Directors for 10 years
• Former Co-Chairman of the East Hampton Town Citizens Advisory Committee
• Counsel to the East Hampton Health Care Foundation
• Counsel to the arts and educational organization, LongHouse Reserve
• Former Counsel to the East Hampton Village Preservation Society
• Member of the New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section

Recognition