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14 ¦ DECEMBER 7, 2020 NEWS

Connecticut Lawyer
Ed Schmidt Has Died

By Robert Storace

Known as a consummate professional who worked
well with both sides of the political aisle when
he was deputy counsel and then counsel to the
speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives
and one of the best municipal law attorneys later in
life, attorney Ed Schmidt died at home Saturday.
Schmidt was 70 years old.
Those who knew him best said Schmidt, a Demo-
crat from the Republican stronghold of Darien, was Kameron Bond/Shutterstock.com

able to find common ground with people from all him. Schmidt worked on various Darien legal issues
political backgrounds. for the law farm.
“Ed was able to work as a municipal attorney and “His experience, knowledge and love of the town
land-use expert with all sides in Darien to make was invaluable,” Fox said Thursday.
important progress on issues like historical preser- A history buff, Schmidt was the author of a book on
vation and affordable housing,” said attorney Alex the history of the Noroton section of Darien and was,
Knopp, a former Norwalk mayor. at one time, president of the town’s historical society.
Schmidt worked as an assistant to Knopp when he Those who knew Schmidt well said he was loving
was mayor from 2001-05. and caring with his time, friends and family.
“Ed had a wonderful collegial personality,” Knopp “Our families did a lot of things together. Ed loved
said Thursday of his best friend. “He was a master to garden and he was a big sports fan. We were both
craftsman at drafting and interpreting legislation.” big Yankees fans and went to many Yankees games,
That knowledge and understanding of legislation, as well as Bridgeport Bluefish games,” Knopp said.
and working on projects from beginning to end, was Knopp also said his friend “had a wry sense of
something Tom Ritter, a former speaker of the Con- humor. He wasn’t a joke teller, but there were many
necticut House of Representatives, saw firsthand. opportunities in politics and the policy business to
Schmidt was deputy counsel and then counsel to see people’s comedic and ironic moments. He saw
the speaker for some of Ritter’s term. all of them, including our own foibles, and that was
“He understood the place and was an excellent part of his humor.”
drafter of bills,” said Ritter, now a partner with Tragedy stuck Schmidt and his wife Georgia in the
Brown Rudnick in Hartford. mid-1990s when their 21-year-son Jesse, who had a
“One of my major initiatives was early childhood congenital heart defect, died. Knopp said soon after
legislation and he was the lead on that. He talked to the Schmidts adopted four Lithuanian children.
both Democrats and Republicans under a Republi- Knopp said, “They were a renewed lease on life
can administration to make that happen. He was the after the tragedy of losing his son, who he was very
driving force behind getting the major legislation close to.”
passed,” Ritter said. ¦

For the past 14 years, Schmidt worked as of coun- Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
sel for Curtis, Brinckerhoff & Barrett in Stamford. analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
Firm partner John Wayne Fox said it was there that him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
Schmidt’s love of the Darien area became obvious to 203-437-5950.

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