Hartford Business Journal

34 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 7, 2025 POWE R 50 33 Lee D. Hoffman A s one of the top energy attorneys in Connecticut, Lee Hoffman is an expert in an industry that is at the forefront of policy discussions, as the United States seeks to contain rising elec- tricity costs amid increased demand from AI. Recently, Hoffman obtained regulatory approvals for New York- based Key Capture Energy, which plans to build eight utility-scale battery energy storage projects in Connecticut by 2026. They are the first such projects in the state and will help facilitate Connecticut's tran- sition to carbon-free energy by 2050. Hoffman leads the influential law firm Pullman & Comley, which has three Connecticut offices — Hart- ford, Bridgeport and Westport — in addition to three outside the state, in Wakefield, Rhode Island; Springfield, Massachusetts; and White Plains, New York. Hoffman in 2024 oversaw the expansion of the firm's offices in Westport and Springfield. He was elected chairman of the firm in September 2022. Hoffman joined Pullman & Comley in July 2003, and has been a member of its executive committee since 2013. Until recently, he was co-chair of the firm's real estate, energy, environmental and land-use department. Hoffman's practice now focuses on energy projects, environmental regulatory requirements and brownfield redevelopment. Pullman & Comley last year obtained regulatory approvals for the largest solar energy project in New England on behalf of the renewable investments arm of D. E. Shaw & Her practice focuses on repre- senting insurance companies in complex insurance coverage litigation, arbitration and medi- ation, including claims seeking extracontractual remedies. Tobin has been a member of Robin- son+Cole's managing committee since 2009, and became managing partner in 2021. Co., a multinational investment management firm based in New York City. The project involves converting an abandoned 485-acre gravel pit in East Windsor into a 120-megawatt solar facility. 34 Rhonda Tobin R honda Tobin is the managing partner of law firm Robin- son+Cole, which made a big move in 2024 to a new downtown Hartford office space. Tobin was a key player who helped lead that effort, which began in 2021 as the firm's lease at 280 Trumbull St. was running out. Robinson+Cole, which has about 136 Connecticut attorneys, moved to a 70,000-square-foot space on four floors at the top of the Hart- ford Steam Boiler building, at One State St. The office design was consciously modern in appearance and philos- ophy. Each floor is surrounded by glass, and interior glass walls allow sunlight and stunning vistas to flow through to interior cubicles. And senior attorneys no longer get the biggest offices. Now, all offices are set to a uniform, 150 square feet. "Really, it's just about equity," Tobin told the Hartford Business Journal in September. "We are not big on titles and making distinctions about titles. The old setup in law firms was very much about status, and that's not what we are about." Tobin is responsible for leading the development and execution of the firm's strategic plans, as well as the daily management and operations of the business. 35 David Glidden D avid Glidden leads the second-largest bank head- quartered in Connecticut. He's the CEO of Middle- town-based Liberty Bank, which has $7.9 billion in assets. It's a position he has held since March 2019. Under Glidden, Liberty expanded its Hartford office presence to accommodate the bank's strategy to grow its Greater Hartford commercial lending portfolio up and down the I-91 corridor. Liberty Bank has also been innovative in its growth efforts under Glidden. In 2023, it launched a digital bank — called Owners Bank — that offers services and loans for small businesses. It now operates in nine states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massa- chusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina. Glidden has over 30 years of banking industry experience. Most recently, he was TD Bank's regional president for the northern New England and upstate New York region. 32 Leander Dolphin A s managing partner of Shipman & Goodwin, Leander Dolphin leads one of the state's largest law firms with about 141 Connecticut attorneys. Dolphin took over the firm's leadership role in 2022, and her stature within Greater Hartford's legal and business community has only grown since then. For example, she is on the exec- utive committee of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association's board of directors. Gov. Ned Lamont appointed Dolphin to serve as chairperson of the 12-member Connecticut Judi- cial Selection Commission, which is responsible for seeking out and recommending judges for the Supe- rior, Appellate and Supreme courts. Dolphin began her legal career in 2004 and has led Shipman & Goodwin's diversity, equity and inclusion committee. Earlier this year, Dolphin helped unveil Shipman & Goodwin's new 17,000-square-foot Stamford office at 400 Atlantic St. The modern space was created to enhance collaboration and foster innovation. In her practice, Dolphin regularly advises universities, colleges, public school districts, indepen- dent schools and other clients on a variety of education and employment matters. Prior to joining Shipman, Dolphin was the vice president of human resources and general counsel for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut. She graduated from Wesleyan Univer- sity in 1999, and received her law degree from the Howard University School of Law in 2004. To learn more about our business award events, visit our website HARTFORD BUSINESS C O N N E C T I C U T ' S B U S I N E S S N E W S

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