James M. (Jamie) Van Nostrand served from May 2023 to October 2025 as Chair of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Prior to his appointment, Van Nostrand was a professor of law and director of the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development at the West Virginia University College of Law. He is the author of “The Coal Trap: How West Virginia Was Left Behind in the Clean Energy Revolution” (Cambridge University Press, 2022).
Before moving to West Virginia University in July 2011, Van Nostrand spent three years as executive director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center in White Plains, N.Y. Prior to his transition to law school teaching, Van Nostrand had a successful career in private law practice as a partner in the energy and environmental practice groups of two large law firms based in the Pacific Northwest: Perkins Coie LLP and Stoel Rives LLP. In his 22-year career in private practice, Van Nostrand represented energy clients in state regulatory proceedings in eight Western states, as well as proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Mr. Van Nostrand was recognized by the Energy Bar Association as its 2007 State Regulatory Practitioner of the Year.
Mr. Van Nostrand received his Master of Laws in Environmental Law from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law, his master’s degree in economics from SUNY at Albany, and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Northern Iowa.
