About Us
The Connecticut Group, LLC
Jim O’Brien – Founder, Principal
Jim O'Brien, the founder of the firm, has been involved in Connecticut politics and government for the last 20 years. Jim began his political career in college by working as an intern on Capitol Hill. After college, Jim continued to pursue his interest in politics by working on several campaigns and political events and in 1994, Jim went to work in the Connecticut Governor's office as a Legislative Liaison. Jim helped organize the Governor's legislative agenda and his responsibilities included both editing proposed legislation as well as developing and executing a strategy to pass the legislation. He also represented the Governor's office on the Electric Deregulation Working Group, a group formed to analyze ways in which to deregulate the electric utility industry.
Upon leaving the Governor's office in 1997, Jim joined an investment firm and was in charge of government and legal affairs. Also in that year, Jim ran and was elected to the West Hartford Town Council where he served two terms. In 2004, Jim started his own government relations firm, J. O'Brien & Associates, LLC.
During the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Jim was a political analyst for WFSB Channel 3 and NBC Channel 30. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan District Commission and the Board of Directors for Riverfront Recapture.
Jim received his B.A. in History from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1995. You can reach Jim by e-mail at jobrien@connecticutgroup.net.
James Woulfe – Counsel, Government Affairs
James joined the Connecticut Group in November 2016, and brings an extensive knowledge of social enterprise law and policy, as well as economic development issues. In 2013-14, while attending law school in the evenings, James led a successful grass-roots campaign working with partners on both sides of the aisle to drive passage of Connecticut’s benefit corporation statute, hailed by some as the most comprehensive legislation of its kind in the nation. In 2015, he was appointed by Maj. Leader Joe Aresimowicz to the Commission on Connecticut’s Leadership in Corporation and Business Law, where he drafted a comprehensive plan to make Connecticut a national leader in the social enterprise sector. In 2016, James served as a member of the Connecticut Bar Association Business Law Section’s working group to draft the Connecticut Benefit Corporation Statute, which was introduced on the first day of the 2017 legislative session.
James received a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Communications from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2009, and his J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2015.
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