Alec Messina, immediate past director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, has joined Midwest litigation firm HeplerBroom as a partner in its Springfield office. Messina will focus on HeplerBroom’s government affairs practice group which assists clients on their interactions with local, state and federal government.

Messina has 20 years of experience in environmental law, policy development and implementation and legislative advocacy. Prior to his appointment as director of the Illinois EPA, Messina served as the policy adviser for environment and energy in the office of the Governor. He also worked as executive director of the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group, a company-based association with the primary mission of influencing the development of policy, regulatory and legislative environmental matters in Illinois.

“We’re excited to have Alec join us,” said Katherine Hodge, a partner in the firm’s Springfield office and head of HeplerBroom’s environmental practice group. “Alec is highly skilled in building collaborative relationships in both the regulatory and legislative arenas and has been instrumental in bringing about significant environmental and energy reforms. He has also successfully developed business coalitions to advocate for policy and legislative action.”

Messina is a 1998 graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.