Spring 2015 Loquitur—The Alumni Magazine for Vermont Law School by Vermont Law School

S P R I N G 20 1 5

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE FOR VERMONT LAW SCHOOL

ONE L AW S C HOOLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S DE F INI T ION O F S E R V IC E .

S P R I N G 2015 Volume 28, Number 2

PRESIDENT AND DEAN Marc Mihaly ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mary L. Welz EDITORS Maryellen Apelquist Jim Collins Hannah Morris CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Patty McIlvaine Ashley Patton Melissa Schlobohm MELP'12 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ian Aldrich Cynthia Anderson Maryellen Apelquist Kathryn Flagg Kristen Fountain Castle Freeman Jr. DESIGN, ART DIRECTION, AND PRODUCTION Flannel PRINTING J.S. McCarthy Printers PUBLISHED BY VERMONT LAW SCHOOL 164 Chelsea Street, PO Box 96 South Royalton, VT 05068 www.vermontlaw.edu Send address changes to alumni@vermontlaw.edu or call 802-831-1312. Alumni can also update contact information on the web at connect.vermontlaw.edu. Printed with soy-based inks on recycled paper. © 2015 Vermont Law School

A BICYCLE LIES ON THE GROUND IN FRONT OF A HOUSE TRAILER, DUXBURY, VERMONT. SERVING THE UNDERSERVED — OF TEN INVISIBLE — CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF THE STATE IS THE WORK OF HAVE JUSTICE — WILL TRAVEL. SEE PAGE 22. PHOTOGRAPH BY DANA ALLEN.

here is an old story, possibly true, about an attorney in a hill town in Vermont who went to Boston on business. Returned home after a couple of days in the city, he told everyone who would listen that he had found in Boston an extraordinary thing: men who actually practiced law for money. This, the country lawyer invited his hearers to agree, was a kind of prodigy. The men and women whom Loquitur recognizes in this issue would not have shared his amazement, though they might have understood it. Like the Vermont attorney, they have evidently been called to their careers by something other than the expectation of gain. But while he had his reward in dedicating himself to a venerable profession, they have theirs in a different but related dedication: service. They represent the 6,700 graduates of Vermont Law School in the 40 years since its founding, an alumni body whose members, in communities from Vermont to Montana, to Florida, to Texas, and in fields including (in this small sample) military law, immigration law, special education law, environmental law, Native American law, and public interest law, demonstrate a powerful thesis. The law is a fundamental necessity of ordered society. As such, it very properly honors and rewards its practitioners. But there is a corollary: if the people can serve the law, then, equally, the law can serve the people. We salute the VLS alumni who make that idea live.

– C AS T L E F REEM A N JR.

For the Public Good

Contents

What service looks like: A gallery of Vermont Law School alumni who have chosen to serve in addition to earn.

Robert Benson

Code of Conduct

courtesy of Jill Pfenning

Duty-bound to take a stand against the military's discriminatory policies, to make real a commitment to fairness, VLS is now duty-bound to provide the opportunity for students to serve their country.

Recalled to the Law

DEPARTMENTS The Ways We Serve..........................4

DISCOVERY Storytelling for lawyers. The future of college sports. National moot court championships. Following climate change at the United Nations. Summer programs for undergrads. A landmark environmental agreement. Local food, legal marijuana?...............................6

CLASS NOTES Parting thoughts from the VLSAA president, welcoming news of the chairman of the board, news from your classmates and friends.......... 34

INTER ALIA

A Portrait of Judge Oakes..............55

VERMONT ALBUM ............................. 56

Benjamin Tankersley

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

A professor and a student find meaning through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. BY MARYELLEN APELQUIST

Rob Bossi

BY CYNTHIA ANDERSON

ON THE COVER: PORTRAIT OF VERMONT L AW GRADUATE AND U.S. MARINE CAPTAIN JOHN SAUTTER JD/MSEL’08/LLM’09, CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA. FRONT AND BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT BENSON.

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

THE WAYS WE SERVE Dear Alumni and Friends,

courtesy of Marc Mihaly

USA Today published an article last December announcing that Vermont, for the third year in five years, led the nation in Peace Corps service. “There must be something in the maple syrup,” the writer quipped. My first thought upon reading the piece was, “Vermont Law School is part of this story.” My second, “But our service story goes beyond Peace Corps service.” You hear a lot about service at VLS, and one could argue that we include stories about service in every issue of this magazine. That is probably true, and for good reason. Service—the act of helping someone—underscores the work and personal lives of so many of our alumni, students, faculty and staff. But this issue of Loquitur is different. It looks at the many ways we serve, from military service to Jesuit Volunteer Corps service to the one-on-one volunteering our alumni do in their local communities. It goes deeper, and it’s more personal. Almost daily I hear a different service story, whether it’s Professor Susan Apel volunteering her time with fellow breast cancer survivors, current students mentoring South Royalton schoolchildren, Associate Dean Shirley Jefferson taking time to talk about civil rights with public school students in our region and beyond, free programs for the community sponsored by our Veteran Law Students Association, pro bono cases worked in our clinics and by our alumni, or, finally, the seemingly innumerable personal accounts about time spent in Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, and other service organizations. This issue, “For the Public Good,” tells stories you haven’t heard before, including those of our military veterans, both alumni and current students. While VLS made national headlines for standing on principle and refusing to allow military recruiters on campus—for more than 25 years—until “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed, that is only one story. There are many more. We are proud of the service of our uniformed men and women—and honored to share their experiences here in Loquitur. I know many of our student veterans personally and am continually impressed by their passion, drive, and leadership. These pages are finite. We are limited in the number of stories we can publish. We are also limited by the modesty of some of our alumni and current students who did not wish to be spotlighted individually. Thank you, all of you, for the many ways you serve. You do Vermont Law School proud. I’ll close with the wise words of Albert Schweitzer: “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

All best, MARC MIHALY, PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER, EL SALVADOR, 1970. Marc Mihaly President and Dean

LOQUITUR

S P R I N G 2015

DISCOVERY

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE SPORTS PRELAW PROGRAMS NEW IN SUMMER 2015

Sports Law Institute Director Brian Porto and his colleagues in The Drake Group, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank and lobbying group dedicated to defending academic integrity in higher education from the “corrosive aspects of commercialized college sports,” spoke about the “broken” governance system of the NCAA during a panel discussion at VLS this spring.

ANDREW MINIKOWSKI ’15, ALLISON GABALA ’15 AND KATHERINE HAMBLEY ’15 ADVANCED TO THE FINAL ROUND OF THE 2015 JEFFREY G. MILLER PACE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION (NELMCC)

“The major problem is that the financial rewards to some universities for being successful in athletics are so great that there is a powerful temptation to professionalize college sports,” Porto says. “This creates a dismal situation when only 2 to 3 percent of college athletes become pro athletes. Most former college athletes are going to have to find some other way to earn a living. Also, because the college sports system operates in this way, players are starting to ask, ‘When do we get paid? Our coaches and ONLY athletic directors get paid well.’ Things need to change.”

2-3%

SWANS TAKE HOME NATIONAL MOOT COURT WINS IN ANIMAL LAW, ENVIRO LAW 1ST PLACE IN ANIMAL LAW Two VLS Swans, Scott Lake ’15 and Sophie Guilfoyle ’15, took first place in the Appellate Moot Court Competition during the 12th annual National Animal Law Competitions (NALC), held Feb. 27-March 1 at Harvard Law School. In addition, Guilfoyle was awarded Best Oralist in the inter-law school competition, sponsored by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School and the Animal

LOQUITUR

TOP 3 IN ENVIRO LAW Andrew Minikowski ’15, Allison Gabala ’15 and Katherine Hambley ’15 advanced to the final round of the 2015 Jeffrey G. Miller Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC), one of only three teams to do so of the 62 who participated in the competition at Pace Law School in February. NELMCC is the largest interschool moot court competition of its kind in the

Legal Defense Fund. “It was a pleasure to watch them argue,” says Megan Backsen ’15, chair of the Animal Law Society. “Their representation of Vermont Law School will be remembered for many years to come. We in the Animal Law Society couldn’t possibly be prouder of them.”

Summer at Vermont Law School is always an exciting time thanks to our world-renowned Summer Session. This year promises to be even more dynamic with the launch of two new programs open to both undergraduates and current law students: advocacy-driven New Frontiers in Environmental Law and Policy and LegalTech Hacktivist Boot Camp, designed for tech-savvy students who may or may not have an interest in the law. Applications are in and the VLS community looks forward to welcoming the programs’ inaugural classes. “The New Frontiers program is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to connect with the faculty and staff of the ELC, which has a decades-long history of working to influence environmental policy at the local, national and international level,” says Professor Melissa Scanlan, director of the ELC. For more information about the prelaw programs, visit www.vermontlaw.edu/academics/undergraduate.

So what does The Drake Group propose? 3

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

country and attracts hundreds of competitors and attorneys who serve as judges for three days of oral arguments. “Throughout the competition, the team was uniformly quick on its feet, engaged with the judges, remarkably composed and well-spoken under pressure, and expert on the substance,” says Assistant Professor Laura Murphy, associate director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic.

R eplace the NCAA with a federally chartered corporation

P rovide “whistle blower protection” for university employees who disclose academic fraud or unethical behavior

4 5

LEARN MORE AT: www.thedrakegroup.org or email Professor Porto at bporto@vermontlaw.edu

OF COLLEGE ATHLETES BECOME PRO ATHLETES

R equire the corporation and its members to retain 5 percent of gross annual media rights fees in a trust from which they may disburse education grants to college athletes who have not completed their undergrad degrees or who wish to continue their education

ENVIRO CLINIC

LANDMARK JAY PEAK CASE Kudos to our team at the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic for their hand in a settlement reached in a decade-long Jay Peak pollution case. In February, Judge Thomas Durkin of the Vermont Superior Court Environmental Division issued an order approving a settlement agreement between Jay Peak Resort and the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) and Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation. The innovative agreement will continue to improve water quality and protect streams adjacent to the fast-growing, four-season ski resort in northern Vermont. “We are pleased to be part of an agreement with VNRC and Jay Peak Resort that will result in significant improvements to Vermont’s waters,” says David Mears JD’91, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Require all national championships to be owned by the corporation

Require remedial education and 1st-year ineligibility for admitted student-athletes whose average high school GPA or SAT falls more than 1 standard deviation below that of their entering class

S P R I N G 2015

DISCOVERY

VLS UNITED NATIONS COP BLOG LOOKS TO ‘21’ IN PARIS Want to keep up with United Nations climate change negotiations? Follow “Substantial and Sustained” (vlscop. vermontlaw.edu), a blog highlighting observations and analysis during and leading up to the UN’s annual climate change conference, Conference of Parties (COP). COP21 will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 11, 2015, in Paris, where leaders are expected to adopt a binding treaty for climate

United Nations moves closer to a new universal climate agreement. “I was interested in climate change issues, and so the COP was the conference to attend,” says alumna Heather Calderwood MERL’14 of her experience with COP. “You learn what works and what needs improvement. The most valuable takeaway I had was the unique experience of meeting world leaders and inspirational people.”

action. In 2014 during COP20 in Lima, Peru, attended by a VLS delegation, a UN ad hoc working group developed elements of the negotiating text for the treaty. And in February of this year, representatives from 194 countries met in Geneva to discuss the text. Visit vlscop.vermontlaw.edu to learn about next steps on the way to Paris, including additional formal negotiations this June in Bonn, as the

Storytelling for Lawyers, a new book about the central role of narrative in litigation by VLS Professor Philip N. Meyer, is receiving high praise from critics and legal scholars, including award-winning author and death penalty lawyer David R. Dow. “Every lawyer now knows that winning depends on more than having the tightest syllogism,” writes Dow in his review, published by the Vermont Law Review (Volume 39, Book 1). “It depends on moving the audience, or the decision-maker; and accomplishing that movement is only partly a function of logic. It also includes what can be thought of as an appeal to a pre-rational instinct or emotion. We have certain beliefs just because we have them, and successful lawyers know that legal victories come from appealing to those very beliefs. So how do lawyers do that? They tell stories, of course. Philip N. Meyer’s splendid book … is both an explanation of this phenomenon and a master class on what makes an effective story and how to construct one.” Learn more about Professor Meyer’s book at www.storytellingforlawyers.com.

LOQUITUR

Follow “Substantial and Sustained” a blog highlighting observations and analysis during and leading up to the UN’s annual climate change conference, Conference of Parties (COP) at: VLSCOP.VERMONTLAW.EDU

Rob Bossi

STORYTELLING FOR LAWYERS

VLS CONFERENCES EXPLORE ‘GLOBAL FOOD, LOCAL SOLUTIONS’ AND MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Vermont Law School students sponsored a variety of panels and conferences this spring, including two that were particularly well attended by VLS community members and locals, and that drew press from as far as Radio Canada. In March, the Criminal Law Society and SPEAK presented “Marijuana Legalization in Vermont: Arguments, Considerations and Perspectives,” with a wide range of voices at the table. “Vermont lawmakers face what could be a historic resolution in legalizing recreational marijuana, but the decision requires careful consideration,” says student Matt Accardi ’15 of the Criminal Law Society. “We are grateful for the chance to facilitate the discussion, and we hope the conference enhances Vermont’s decisionmaking process.” Also in March, students presented “Global Food, Local Solutions,” a day-long conference that focused on three issues, “Food Safety Issues as They Affect Low-Income Communities and Communities of Color,” “Native American Food Sovereignty: Environmental Challenges to Food Security,” and “New England Food Justice.” “We wanted

LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS RAISED QUESTIONS — AND OFFERED SOME ANSWERS — IN MARCH DURING A WIDE-RANGING PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN VERMONT.

Alona Tate ’15. “We are lucky to be surrounded by bountiful farms in Vermont. However, in many communities in the U.S. there is not adequate access to healthy food, and many

to highlight the challenges faced by many communities in the U.S. and internationally, and how we can work with various models of agriculture to help find solutions,” says

people do not have the resources to purchase local and organic food. It is important that we consider all models of agriculture as an integral part of sustainable solutions.”

S P R I N G 2015

USMC CAPTAIN JOHN “JACK” SAUTTER JD/ MSEL’08/LLM’09 SERVED AS INFANTRY STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATE AND MILITARY PROSECUTOR BEFORE ASSUMING THE POSITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGAL COUNSEL AT CAMP PENDLETON IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Robert Benson

THE COMPLICATED, PRINCIPLED, EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VERMONT LAW SCHOOL AND THE U.S. MILITARY By C Y N T H I A A N D E R S O N

S P R I N G 2015

Rob Bossi BIG VETS ON CAMPUS: JOHN L. PALOMINO ’16, JORDAN CARPENTER ’16, BRYAN FITZCHARLES ’15, RYAN CONSIDINE ’17, MELINDA SUMNER ’16, DANIEL RUST ’16, CHRISTOPHER GRISHAM ’17, CHRISTOPHER SHERIDAN ’16, LEIF COCQ-RASMUSSEN ’17, MEGAN BACKSEN ’15, JOHN LOWERY ’16

OB LIU JD’14 ARRIVED AT VERMONT LAW SCHOOL UNSURE WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WITH HIS LIFE. He was there for a general legal education, but unlike some of his classmates, didn’t feel drawn to a particular practice area. Things began to shift partway through his 1L year, when he overheard friends discussing the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. Liu found himself intrigued, so during his 2L year when interviews were being scheduled with recruiters, he signed up. Through late winter and spring of 2012 Liu, in suit and tie, would walk from his house on Fairview Terrace down the hill and across the bridge to one-on-ones with

LOQUITUR

representative JAGs. He met with the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy. During the Navy interview, something clicked. Liu realized, “This is the goal. This is the dream. JAG is where I want to go.” It would not be a simple undertaking: getting into the Corps is highly competitive, with single-digit acceptance rates. At VLS, it’s taken as something of a given that graduates assume jobs at nonprofits and NGOs in disproportionate numbers, and that, in private practice, they tend to accept more pro bono work. But each year students like Liu seek a different kind of service—as JAG Corps prosecutors and defenders in military criminal courts and as

in-house counsel and special advisors—career paths that have not always been so straightforward at VLS. Indeed, the decades-long trajectory of the relationship between this progressive, idealistic place and the U.S. Military has been complicated and sometimes fraught. For the better part of a quarter-century, Vermont Law School barred military recruiters from its campus. And, as a community, VLS actively sought the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy directed toward gay and lesbian service members. “It was a sustained, communitywide effort,” says VLS Professor Jackie Gardina. “The ban and our involvement

in the repeal allowed us to live our mission. I’m proud that VLS took a stance and maintained that stance. I’m even prouder of how engaged the community—students, staff, faculty and alumni—became in changing the law, and how they remained committed through to the end.”

n its early years, VLS hosted JAGs from the armed forces once or twice a year, as it did other career recruiters. Professor Peter Teachout recalls day-long Army, Navy, and Air Force visits. That changed in 1985, when the school adopted an antidiscrimination policy that resulted in, among other things, a campus recruitment ban

on the military because of its discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 1990, the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) began requiring all members to deny access to recruiters with discriminatory practices, which meant that for a few years the anti-bias ranks among law schools were strong. Then, three years after the 1993 introduction of DADT, Congress adopted the Solomon Amendment, which called for the withholding of eight federal agencies’ monies from law schools and universities that barred on-campus military recruiters. In 1998, after Solomon was amended to include federal student loans and grants, the AALS rescinded its anti-discrimination requirement. The change

in the law all but forced schools, including VLS, to allow military recruiters back. Military recruitment visits that took place at the school during 1998 and 1999 occurred “amidst a variety of peaceful but forceful expressions of opposition,” according to a dean’s office memo from that time. When Congress lifted the grant/loan inclusion in 1999, VLS quickly reinstated its ban. The stance was a costly one: a loss of $300,000-$500,000 annually over the next 12 years. And VLS was largely on its own. After 2001, when Solomon was again amended to forbid funding from the eight agencies to an entire university if any part denied access, VLS was one of only two law schools in the

S P R I N G 2015

code of conduct

c o d e o f c o n d u ct

because they really were,” Sautter says. “But I think there were those who made assumptions about me and who I am that were way off base. It was like, ‘Who is this guy, and what’s he doing here?’” Sautter chose VLS with clear intentions, because of its values around service and environmental protection and, in fact, his work since graduation has encompassed both. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, serving with an infantry unit focused on rebuilding communities, a mission he found satisfying: “When I was in the back sand dunes of Helmand province teaching the local police how to apply the criminal code, teaching about civil rights, it was hugely gratifying.” He now works as special counsel for environmental law at Camp Pendleton in California. Sautter says he respected the school’s stance on DADT, recalling meetings during which the ban was explained and the financial ramifications discussed: “It was costly because we weren’t connected to the mother ship like other law schools. I was proud of VLS for standing its ground. And, in fact, I think history has proven that inclusiveness is a good thing for the military.”

VETERANS ADD AN IMPORTANT DIMENSION OF SERVICE TO A LAW SCHOOL DEDICATED TO SERVING OTHERS. CLOCKWISE FROM LEF T: CREW CHIEF DANIEL RUST ’16 RIDES AN F-15 IN JACKSONVILLE; SEAMAN JOHN PALOMINO ’16; NAV Y AVIATION MACHINIST MATE BRYAN FITZCHARLES ’15 CHECKS THE BRAKES ON HIS SUPER HORNET FIGHTER; USMC MAJOR MELINDA SUMNER ’16 POSES NEAR THE END OF A 20-YEAR MILITARY CAREER. nation to hold the line. “It was the right thing to do,” says alumna Patricia Whalen, JD’79, a former family court magistrate and international judge who served on the war crimes tribunal in Sarajevo. “Law schools should stand for human rights and anti-discrimination. They have an obligation to speak out on ethical issues regardless of the price.” During the ban, campus administrators tried to mitigate the effect on students. “There was discomfort for some about keeping the military at arm’s length and about what that meant for students who

LOQUITUR

might want to join the JAG Corps,” Gardina says. For a couple of years, recruitment interviews were held at a school-owned building nearby and at a local bank. An administrative memo issued during that time made clear that the VLS nondiscrimination policy does not oppose the military mission or question the integrity of those who wish to choose military service. There was even a sense among some faculty that placing VLS grads in the JAG Corps might effect change more quickly. “We were very much aware that reform often comes from within,” says Teachout. Nonethe-

less, the vast majority of the VLS community supported the boycott, and many students and faculty members worked actively to repeal DADT. The school grew famous for its stance; The New York Times did a story, as did other news outlets. Jack Sautter JD/MSEL’08/LLM’09 was already a Marine Corps officer when he entered VLS in 2005. He recalls arriving on campus “at the height of the Solomon Amendment and the height of Iraq”—and during intensifying efforts to repeal DADT. Sautter sensed that some people looked at him askance. “It’s not that people weren’t friendly and nice,

ot long after the 2011 repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Professor Kinvin Wroth, who served as VLS dean from 1996-2004, called the sacrifice in grant money “well worth the goal of nondiscrimination we were serving.” The negative

effects were offset by the respect the school garnered for its position, Wroth said, by the incentive the ban provided VLS to advocate for the repeal of DADT, and by the sense of community that resulted from the united stance. “There was something about standing on principle that brought the school together,” says Teachout. On several occasions, Gardina and other professors accompanied contingents of VLS students to Washington to lobby Congress, with bake-sale proceeds, donated travel money, and alumni-provided lodg-

“

dents again able to openly pursue the opportunity to serve.” Indeed, when the ban was over, it was over. Less than a month after the September 2011 repeal, an Army recruiter showed up on campus, soon followed by others. They were warmly received. Within months, VLS was removed from the Excluded Parties list. Federal monies began to flow back into the school— and students could again meet on campus with recruiters. Last year about 30 students attended JAG Corps informational sessions and half of those sat for individual interviews. On a recent spring day at VLS, sun evaporated LAW SCHOOLS SHOULD STAND FOR HUMAN the snow-melt RIGHTS AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION. THEY HAVE and students AN OBLIGATION TO SPEAK OUT ON ETHCAL hurried to their ISSUES REGARDLESS OF THE PRICE.” classes. Inside Chase, the Native American Law – PATRICIA WHALEN, JD’79 Students Association was hosting a lunchtime ing. On campus, there were rallies seminar on environmental issues. and presentations. At a packed conUpstairs in the library Navy veteran ference in 2005, student Alex Manand 2L John Palomino reflected on ning, who’d been discharged from his time at VLS. His nearby carrel the military for being gay, came out was jammed with notebooks, texts, publicly. “I felt the comfort of being and mementos of his wife and surrounded by 300 siblings,” Mannine-year-old daughter. ning said later of the experience. “Things have smoothed out, “I felt the power of a community but it was a bit of a struggle in the supporting me.” beginning,” Palomino says. One The environment on campus problem was that veterans had to never soured, perhaps because wait for disbursements for their liveven dissenters understood the ing expenses until after the VA paid school’s stance was not in opposithe school—weeks after other stution to the armed forces in general. dents had received their funds. To “Our motivation was anti-discrimaddress that issue and others, Paloination, not anti-military,” says mino co-founded the Veteran Law Wroth. “Now, having held the line Students Association. “We need and having worked for the repeal representation on campus not only of DADT, we’re glad to see our stuto show that VLS is veteran-friendly

S P R I N G 2015

ON A MISSION code of conduct

nities in the practice of law. And it’s important for the military to have students from a place like VLS who can be critics and reformers from within,” he says. In the end, perhaps the long, storied history of VLS and the military shows the stuff of which the school is made: from its inception, it has taught its students that service is important—as are the principles upon which that service is based. Duty-bound to take a stand against the military’s discriminatory policies, to make real a commitment to fairness, VLS is now duty-bound to provide the opportunity for students to serve their country. In the fall of his 3L year Bob Liu took an externship in the Region Legal Service Office at the Washington Navy Yard. He was there on the morning of September 16, 2013, when a gunman shot and killed 12 people and injured three others. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Liu helped the victims’ families access funds for financial support. “That at least was useful to them. It was a good feeling to be able to do something,” Liu says. The experience strengthened his conviction that he was on the right path. After graduating last spring, Liu passed the bar in August and received his Navy commission in September. He’s stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, furthering his legal training—now himself a JAG.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JOHN PALOMINO ’16 ON BOARD, AT EASE; U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER SHERIDAN ’16 IN AFGHANISTAN, IN THE ARENA; PROFESSOR PETER TEACHOUT FOLLOWING ARMY BOOT CAMP IN FORT DIX, 1966; ARMY SERGEANT JORDAN CARPENTER ’16 FOLLOWING DEPLOYMENTS TO AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. THE MEANING AND STUDY OF L AW ARE DEEPENED BY THE VOICES OF THE MILITARY ON CAMPUS. but to create an atmosphere that supports veterans,” he says. Last year the group hosted Veterans Week during November, with observances, speeches and a symposium on women in the military. Currently there are about 20 veterans and active officers on campus, “more than we’ve ever had,” says Teachout. “These are students with experience, and they add talent and a diversity of perspective.” Given the school’s mission, perhaps it’s not surprising that, like Jack Sautter, many students who enter VLS with military backgrounds or become JAGs were service-oriented before they ever got to campus. “I’ve always needed to feel that I’m doing something to contribute to society,” says LLM candidate and Navy JAG Mary Pohanka. “I’m just not satisfied with a regular job. I like to feel that what I’m doing has an impact on something or someone in need.”

Pohanka’s career path shows she means it. She served in the Peace Corps as a nurse in the Nepalese mountains and, after commissioning in the Navy when her Peace Corps stint was up, on a hospital ship in the Persian Gulf. In 2006 she entered law school at George Washington University and, after graduation, deployed for 12 months to Afghanistan as a Navy staff attorney. Now, at VLS, Pohanka is studying environmental law at the Navy’s expense to augment her work as an expert in government and professional ethics at the Pentagon. “Environmental law is extremely important for the military,” Pohanka says. “Every time I’ve deployed there have been environmental impacts from the activities on our ships and installations. There’s a real need for what I’m learning here.” Pohanka appreciates VLS’s progressive atmosphere— and its

openness. “People are interested in my opinions,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of very positive interactions with my professors and my fellow students. There’s recognition that the military is taking a strong stand on a number of environmental issues, including climate change.” Pohanka, Sautter, and Palomino all have used the word “welcoming” to describe the campus’s reception of them. It’s a different time, a different military from the one in 1985 when VLS instituted its first ban, but somehow there’s a sense of things having gone full circle. “Recruiters are on campus again,” Gardina says. “They’re here in uniform, standing in the Chase Breezeway along with the bar prep people and everyone else.” Peter Teachout sees symbiosis in the relationship between the school and the armed forces. “For VLS graduates, the JAG Corps offers extremely important opportu-

Cynthia Anderson (cbanderson.net) is a cross-genre writer whose work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, The Miami Herald, Boston Magazine and elsewhere. Her collection of stories River Talk (C&R Press) was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2014.

TO SERVE VERMONT VETERANS When “AB” reached out to the South Royalton Legal Clinic, the former military officer was desperate for help. She was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following two sexual assaults that occurred during her time in the service. She’d recently applied to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for VA disability benefits, only to have her application initially rejected. Enter Katelyn Atwood JD’11. With Atwood’s help, the unnamed veteran is appealing the decision. In her two-year appointment as the Vermont Poverty Law Fellow, Atwood’s mission is to help veterans like “AB,” whose story Atwood told in a recent report to the Vermont Bar Association, which together with the Vermont Access to Justice Campaign Committee underwrites her fellowship. Vermont is home to roughly 50,000 veterans—about 8 percent of the total population. Atwood aims to increase legal resources, including access to direct representation, among Vermont veterans living in poverty. Sometimes, as in AB’s case, that means meeting head-on the byzantine bureaucracy of the VA. “It never ceases to amaze me, the crippling effect that bureaucracy can have on a very vulnerable person’s life,” says Atwood. For veterans who may be appealing their disability benefits or pension issues through the VA, “everything about the process is difficult,” she says. “It’s really intimidating, and it’s scary.” Above all else, though, Atwood is a generalist lawyer. She is based at the South Royalton Legal Clinic, where “you never know what is going to walk through the door,” she says. While she does handle a chunk of VA cases, she’s also helping veterans navigate any number of general civil dockets: landlord/tenant disputes, bankruptcy, foreclosure, divorce. She’s also training other Vermont attorneys in veteran’s issues, and running monthly advice clinics focused on child support issues at local VA offices. “There’s so much of a need,” says Atwood. “We’ve gotten so many calls, more than we could ever possibly handle.” Atwood, 30, grew up in Michigan, and enrolled at Vermont Law fresh out of college. After law school, she served as a judicial law clerk in New Jersey, then relocated to Montana. Atwood showed up on the doorstep of the local legal aid office and asked, “When can I start working?” Her two years as a legal aid lawyer cemented her interest in serving the poor: “That becomes baked into your practice as an attorney,” she says. James May, who directs the SRLC, describes Atwood as a bright and optimistic young lawyer who is leading the charge in Vermont to bring awareness to the legal needs facing veterans. In the first few months of her fellowship, May says, “She’s out of the blocks, and around the first bend.” Still, the legal needs of Vermont’s veterans are “huge,” according to Mike Owens, a justice outreach specialist with the VA. He’s grateful to have found a partner to tackle those problems in Atwood. “She’s very can-do,” says Owen. “If there’s a way to help, she’ll find it.” — Kathryn Flagg

LOQUITUR

S P R I N G 2015

Ace Kvale

IN THEIR CHOICE OF CAREERS AND IN HOW THEY PROVIDE SERVICE, VERMONT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES EMBODY AND EXPAND THE MEANING OF PRO BONO PUBLICO .

FROM VERMONT TO THE HIMALAYA : AN NGO SETS OUT TO CURE BLINDNESS IN THE POOREST AND REMOTE AREAS OF THE WORLD. LOQUITUR

GUIDE WARREN COLEMAN OFFERS A POINTER, UPPER CONNECTICUT RIVER, NEW HAMPHSIRE.

Kurt Budliger

FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

Giver the

CHRIS MIDDLETON JD’06

As a young boy living in Charleston, South Carolina, Christopher Middleton never experienced the kind of holidays he saw on television or at the homes of his friends. No big tree or lavish decorations; no mountains of presents to rip through on Christmas morning. At the Middleton household, where his mom worked two jobs just to keep things going, budgets were tight, especially in December. The experience stuck with Middleton through his undergraduate years at Savannah State University, through law school in Vermont, and after he returned to Savannah, where he now works as the felony division chief for the Eastern Judicial Circuit

Public Defender’s Office. “When I came back here I wanted to give back to this community that had given me so much,” says Middleton. “I just kept thinking about my mom and how difficult it is for single parents, especially during the holidays.” He dreamed of ways he might make the holiday brighter for families in need. In 2009 he gave the community a Christmas present: the Holiday Make-Over Project. Each December, Middleton leads a team of volunteers in renovating a living room or a kitchen for a large single-parent family up against financial hardship and living in a home that suffers the residue of neglect or possibly

ONE LAWYER’S GIFT: PRESENTS AND A TREE FOR CHRISTMAS.

fire damage. The family is put up at a local hotel for three days while Middleton’s crew gets to work. Walls are painted, floors refinished, new furniture installed, and of course, a Christmas tree is set up, brimming with presents. “People come back to their homes and they’re spiritually uplifted,” says Middleton. “Everyone is in the holiday spirit. For a moment they don’t have to worry about the next bill or whether or not they can afford to buy presents for the kids. When that burden is alleviated it’s a game changer.” It’s just a sliver of Middleton’s year-round passion for giving back. He chairs All Walks of Life, an organization that helps kids express themselves through art and technology. Through the “I Wish I Knew” initiative he educates at-risk teens in understanding the collateral consequences of criminal behavior, while his work with a local citizen advocacy group helps disabled residents establish mentor relationships with area professionals. The list of gifts is long. It’s why in 2015 Middleton won Georgia’s Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award, which honors members of the bar who are exceptionally civic-minded. But it’s the Holiday Make-Over Project that carries particular resonance for Middleton. Because it’s personal. Because he knows the struggles single families face. Because, like the little boys and girls he’s trying to honor, he knows all about Christmas dreams.

— Ian Aldrich

LOQUITUR

BY HOOK OR CROOK WARREN COLEMAN JD’99 To get young people outside, waistdeep in a trout river, and keep them interested enough in those two things to become tomorrow’s fly fishers and environmental advocates: that was the goal. The challenge was building a program from the ground

up, through a chapter of the national nonprofit Trout Unlimited. Warren Coleman ’99 gathered a small group of people in his Montpelier office back in 2010, after hours, to figure out just how to meet that challenge. They raised money, found local and national sponsors, worked out the staffing and outreach. The inaugural Vermont TU Teen Camp in the summer of 2011 included not only fly-casting and fly-tying, but also an electro-shocking field trip with a

biologist, trout anatomy lessons, and immersive, memorable experiences in cold, clean water. Says Coleman, a respected voice in Vermont on environmental and utility regulatory issues and a partner in the Montpelier firm of MacLean, Meehan & Rice, “The camp offers a time to unplug from today’s technology and focus on what makes a trout stream something worth spending time wading around in and something worth protecting.”

Dana Allen FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

For the

TRIBE DEREK KLINE JD’11

Vermont the

LifeLine

HAVE JUSTICE — WILL TRAVEL: WYNONA WARD JD’98, JOHN LAMSON JD’06, HANNAH ELLE MEYERS JD’13, AMY PHILLIPPO JD’98, KATHRYN KENNEDY JD’02, JESSICA SMITH JD’01, MARY CLAASSEN JD’01

Leaving an abusive relationship is complicated for anyone. When you are poor, living miles from any town without a car of your own, the logistical challenges alone seem insurmountable. That is why Wynona Ward ’98, herself a survivor of rural domestic violence, founded the nonprofit “Have Justice —Will Travel” soon after graduating. The organization now has three offices and helps victims in every county in Vermont, providing free transportation, life skills and job mentoring, and referrals, as well as legal services. Over the last 16 years, the group’s unique philosophy of wraparound support has attracted dozens of Vermont Law School interns and fellows. Many later joined Ward as staff attorneys. Two current colleagues, John Lamson ’06 and Hannah Elle Myers ’13, first heard Ward’s inspiring life story when she visited a VLS class as guest speaker, something she still does several times a year.

“When she left the room,” Meyers says, “I remember thinking, That is what I should be doing.” Ward drove a big rig with her husband cross-country for 15 years, earning her undergraduate degree on the road. She entered law school at age 45, finally determined to make a difference for women like her mother, who felt trapped in a marriage with a violent man. “Traditionally, lawyers don’t see themselves as social workers,” says Alexander Banks JD’87, VLS assistant professor and staff attorney at the school’s South Royalton Legal Clinic, which served as an early home and organizational model for “Have Justice.” Ward was different from the beginning. “She understands how victims can be isolated and what the barriers are to getting the victim to a safe place,” Banks says. The idea made immediate sense to Lamson, who wanted a handson public interest job. “This just

seemed really unique, an opportunity to be down and dirty, to do ‘boots on the ground’ type of work,” he says, still enthused after 10 years with the group. “Have Justice” also benefits from the energy of Amy Phillippo ’98, Ward’s first attorney hire and a current member of the organization’s board. Other VLS alumni previously on staff are Kathryn Kennedy ’02, also a 10-year veteran, Jessica Smith ’01, and Mary Claassen ’01. Ward has no doubt that VLS will continue to be fertile ground for finding committed attorneys to extend and carry on her work. “In every graduate that we have hired,” she says, “the legacy of service is there.”

ON THE ROAD, RURAL WASHINGTON COUNT Y, VERMONT.

— Kristen Fountain

Derek Kline’s day job, and sometimes his night job and weekend job, too, is to serve an entire community of underserved, at-risk clients: the Blackfeet of northwestern Montana. He works as general counsel for the 17,000 members of the tribe, which suffers from the same high rates of unemployment, drug and alcohol addiction, and infant and chronic health issues that are prevalent on many Native American reservations across the country. Recently, Kline has spent many of those hours trying to break a local municipality’s stranglehold on water rights and unfair charging practices. He’s helped reduce the tribal members’ water bills while increasing tribal sovereignty over a resource whose source is on its own land. As part of his daily work, Kline has confronted two challenges for which Vermont Law School didn’t fully prepare him. Racism is an inherent part of rural Montana’s social and legal culture, he says. And the Environmental Protection Agency, normally an ally of environmental regulation and fairness, has been one of the biggest obstacles facing the tribe. Kline has argued in court that the agency has failed to follow its own Indian Policy, and is actively violating this policy through its support of the Town of Browning, a local government that was incorporated on the reservation in 1919, five years before Native Americans had the right to vote. It’s been one of many frustrations in Kline’s work. “But you know,” Kline says, “I look forward to going to work every morning. Despite being disadvantaged, the people I get to work with are funny, outgoing, optimistic. They’re just great. They inspire me.”

S P R I N G 2015

Listener

Rob Bossi

STEPHEN REYNES STANDS UP, CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MONTPELIER, VERMONT.

FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

THE CONNECTOR

Some people grow up surrounded by examples of service and opportunities to serve. Jill Pfenning’s father worked for the federal government, and her mother was an active church volunteer. Her education included an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University—“Like VLS,” she says, “a culture of activism and community.” At Vermont Law she helped organize one-day conferences that brought Vermont middle-schoolers to South Royalton to witness mock trials and get an introduction to the U.S. legal system. She taught English in Korea on a Fulbright Scholarship and high school math in New York City and Vermont, and while working for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington, D.C., did pro bono family and immigration law. Now serving as legal counsel for the Vermont-based energy company NG Advantage, Pfenning’s “unpaid part-time job” is reuniting adopted

Korean-Americans with their culture and their birth families through the nonprofit Me & Korea. In addition to legal assistance, Pfenning is helping the fledgling organization with its communications, fundraising, and strategic planning. But closest to her heart, perhaps, is her help organizing the “family reunion” trips to South Korea, where adoptees return to places of their origin and connect with members of their birth families. “A big part of what I do is to help identify adoptees who haven’t been exposed to Korean culture in their own lives. A lot of them come from rural areas, like I did,” says Pfenning, who was raised in Vermont. Pfenning personally knows how powerful the reconnection can be. She had returned to Korea in search of members of her own birth family, with very little information to go on. Though she was unsuccessful, she was able to meet the policeman

Michael Lee

the

STEPHEN REYNES JD’79

On a recent March morning at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Stephen Reynes stepped to the bedside of a 60-yearold Rutland man, who only hours before had received a pair of emergency stents to save a failing heart. As hospital chaplain, Reynes is often called to navigate emotional situations. Consoling a bereaved widow. Counseling a dying patient. Serving as a liaison between distraught families and doctors. On this day, his job was to help a man whose near death had brought to the surface regrets about his relationship with his recently deceased brother and how he sometimes treated his three sons. “I don’t express my emotions much,” the man said, after his wife LOQUITUR

JILL PFENNING JD’07

left the room. “When I do, it’s kind of rough.” Reynes took a seat and the two talked intimately about why that was, then the chaplain shared a story about how he had also weathered the death of a brother. Later, with the man’s family around him, Reynes had the group hold hands and asked them to share the love they had for one another. A relieved expression came over the father’s face at finally feeling permission to say what he felt. “You’re going to where the person is,” says Reynes of the work. “You take your cues from what they want to talk about, make them feel heard.” It’s an approach that isn’t novel to the 69-year-old Reynes, a retired Air Force officer who’s also helped 24

returning vets reintegrate to civilian life. For years he used it in the political arena, where, as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives and later the state senate, he worked to cool the political climate around partisan-riddled environmental issues to pass legislation. It’s even found a place in his law practice as a land use attorney. “When people treat one another with respect and listen to what they have to say, there’s a better chance of working things out,” says Reynes, who is also training to become a deacon in the Episcopal Church. “I’ve tried to bring that to every kind of service that I do.”

A NEW ROOM FOR ETHAN.

who had found her and had initiated the process of her adoption. She’s committed to helping the organization evolve and expand its work over the long term. Because it’s meaningful. Because, she says, it’s important work and it’s not being done by anyone else.

GIVING THE ROOM TO DREAM STEFAN NATHANSON JD’91 The thought came to Stefan Nathanson when a family member was in the hospital, and he noticed how weary and demoralized his own kids seemed after being confined for hours in a hospice waiting room. What must it be like for a kid who is chronically ill, stuck in a room all the time, for days or months or even years? A senior attorney specializing in real estate in the law firm of Ligris + Associates in Newton, Massachusetts, Nathanson was already active in several Boston-area charitable and community organizations. Drawing on his nonprofit experience and his network of connections, he created the Room to Dream Foundation, which raises money and assembles teams of volunteers and professionals to transform kids’ bedrooms into special, healing spaces. Through its whimsical, playful, and cheerful makeovers, the foundation has brightened scores of bedrooms and hospital rooms—and brightened kids’ lives in the process. For his work with the Room to Dream Foundation, the Boston Celtics awarded Nathanson with its Heroes Among Us Award in 2007.

— Ian Aldrich

S P R I N G 2015

Mary Kalhor

FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

Voice

BRENT BOHAN JD’10

Disabled for the

MARILYN BARTLETT JD’91

Three years after graduation, Marilyn Bartlett ’91 brought a federal case that ultimately changed the legal landscape for disabled students across the country. It was every idealistic law student’s dream—except she was the plaintiff, not the attorney. Bartlett’s lawsuit lasted seven years, traveling from district court to the U.S. Supreme Court and back again. Through it all, she was fueled by the self-confidence and persistence that helped her earn two graduate degrees despite a severe learning disability. “Perseverance is my middle name,” Bartlett says. “That is the gift my parents gave me.” Bartlett had finished Vermont Law School expecting to practice special education law. She wanted to help parents and schools understand the new Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and was uniquely suited for the job. She had already earned a Ph.D. in administration and worked for a dozen years as a classroom teacher, an assistant superintendent and a professor. But she couldn’t pass the bar exam. Bartlett is dyslexic and struggles to recognize the shapes of letters. She has to read individual paragraphs several times, first to decode the words, then to string the words into sentences, and then again to

LOQUITUR

FOR THE BASIC RIGHT OF HOUSING

find meaning in the sentences. Yet the New York State Board of Law Examiners refused her request for extra time, larger type, and other aids for her bar exam. “They said to me that anyone with a PhD and a JD could not be LD (learning disabled),” Bartlett says. Her past academic success proved she was not handicapped, the board argued, even though in graduate and law school she was allowed extra time on exams and had the help of others reading aloud to her. In 2001, then Appellate Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor wrote the final decision in Bartlett’s favor. A person has a disability, and is protected by the ADA, based on a holistic evaluation by experts, Sotomayor ruled. The protection continues even if that person has developed a strategy, or uses a device, or takes medication that allows him or her to compensate for the disability. By that time, however, the Supreme Court had issued several decisions that muddied that result. The ADA’s Amended Acts of 2008, approved by Congress and signed by George W. Bush, included language explicitly based on Bartlett’s case. Now the result is law, protecting the right of students with handicaps to accommodations in college, trade and

professional schools, and beyond. Today, Bartlett, at 66, is careful to say she is not a licensed attorney. But she uses her law school training in myriad ways. She teaches special education law to future school leaders at Texas A&M University in Kingsville. She lectures university administrators through the Association on Higher Education and Disability. And she spends a lot of time advising parents of students with disabilities on how to advocate for what they need from their school districts. One outlet is the William & Mary Law Institute for Special Education Advocacy, a summer institute where she is on faculty. But she also spends dozens of hours each week with clients, many of them pro bono, through email, Skype and phone calls. Today she has her sights set on aspects of another law, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which governs pre-K-12 public schools. Currently, districts aren’t required by law to help students with postgraduate planning until they turn 16, far too late for students capable of attending college. Bartlett worries about the many students today who end up in community college only because they haven’t taken the appropriate classes for college admission. At minimum, planning should begin at age 12, she says. For now, the requirement is doing what Bartlett thinks no law should do, limiting the potential of disabled students. As she says, “That’s bad law.”

Most Wednesday evenings after his day’s work with downtown Seattle’s Engle Law Group, you can find attorney Brent Bohan dispensing free legal advice at the King County Neighborhood Legal Clinic. He never knows what he’ll get: low-income residents’ legal issues range from domestic abuse to bankruptcy, from child support to serious criminal matters. But once a month, every month, he knows he’ll be working to help solve problems of housing. Volunteering for the county’s Housing Justice Project, Bohan helps low-income residents address cases of wrongful evictions, predatory landlords, and unfair landlord-tenant practices. Housing is such a basic right, he notes. It’s a place where he can make a fundamental difference in people’s lives. “I’ve been so lucky. The work outside of my job,” he says, “keeps things in perspective for me. It’s a reminder of why I started down this path to begin with.”

— Kristen Fountain BRENT BOHAN MAKES A HOUSE CALL, CENTRAL DISTRICT, SEAT TLE, WASHINGTON.

S P R I N G 2015

Ace Kvale

FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

New Vision for

To Ensure

Nepal

HUMANE TREATMENT YOLANDA COTO JD’90

In 1994, thousands of Cubans grabbed anything that floated and threw themselves into the sea, hoping to reach the U.S. Coast Guard ships whose officers, they believed, would be obliged to rescue them and bring them to the United States. They were called “balseros,” named after the rafts (“balsas”) that the island citizens had used for decades to flee Communist Cuba. Fearing a repeat of the 1980 crisis, when 125,000 Cuban and Haitian nationals made their way from the Port of Mariel, Cuba, and overwhelmed South Florida communities, the U.S. intercepted the balseros and placed them in refugee camps in Guantánamo and Panama. Yolanda Coto, who had begun her legal career working for a nonprofit dedicated to immigration and nationality law, volunteered for a five-day mission and visited both refugee camps as part of a team assessing the immigrants’ living conditions. The trip provided Coto an opportunity to ensure that the detainees were being treated humanely. It cemented the direction of the career she’d chosen. Eventually, the U.S. government allowed most of the balseros to re-enter the United States—and Yolanda Cota eventually became Senior Attorney with Florida’s Department of Children and Families, Refugee Services Program. No longer involved in individual casework, Coto oversees a variety of legal, policy, and contractual matters for an organization that helps resettle refugees from more than 80 different countries, the largest refugee program in the nation.

JOB HEINTZ JD/MSEL’95

When Sanduk Ruit, a pioneering eye surgeon from Nepal, and his American colleague Dr. Geoff Tabin discovered that their simple, low-cost, sight-restoring method of cataract surgery could be brought successfully to thousands of citizens living in the most inaccessible mountain villages of the Himalaya, they realized they had a chance to change the lives of millions of people—overnight—throughout the entire developing world. A tiny incision, a five- or ten-minute procedure, no sutures or long recovery, and people who had no sight and no hope for a productive life suddenly could make plans for a future. All the doctors needed was an organization behind them that could raise the funding and build the infrastructure to train hundreds of local eye surgeons, mass-produce cheap intraocular lenses, and transport a radical new model of service delivery across impoverished continents. They hired Job Heintz to help build the organization. Heintz had already been immersed in the work of making change happen in Nepal. As an idealistic second-year law student at VLS, Heintz had helped a small group of Nepalese lawyers develop into the country’s first public interest law group. More than a decade later, the group, called Pro Public, is one the most respected legal firms in the country.

As CEO of the Himalayan Cataract Project, headquartered in Waterbury, Vermont, Heintz has overseen the scaling up that surgeons Ruit and Tabin had dreamed of. Since 2010, HCP has directly supported short and long-term training for 140 ophthalmic personnel from Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China (Tibet), Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United States. Over the past 10 years, HCP and its partners across Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have conducted 365,000 surgeries and provided care to more than 4 million patients. In the days following the tragic April earthquake in Nepal, Heintz and the Himalayan Cataract Project pivoted. They raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and threw their contacts and hub-and-spoke network into a massive relief effort, delivering tons of food, water, and temporary shelter to remote villages that were desperately in need. “We’re just doing what we can,” he says. Heintz had chosen Vermont Law School thinking it was the place to go to make a difference. “The law school is full of public-minded professors who can show students what ‘doing anything you want’ really means. Idealism there is not only encouraged, it’s modeled. It was the environment that I was most interested in, then,” he says. “It’s people now. But I’ve learned it’s the same stuff that matters at the core.”

OUT OF THE DARKNESS: A NEPALESE WOMAN’S BANDAGES ARE REMOVED — AND A FIVE-MINUTE SURGERY CHANGES A LIFE OVERNIGHT.

S P R I N G 2015

REMINDER: CHRISTINE CIMINI HOLDS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT ON THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Not everyone can say they had “a kickass nun and lawyer” as a mentor, but Christine Cimini can.

From the AIDS epidemic to the crash of the Motor City, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps inspired — and connected — a professor and her student. LOQUITUR

Rob Bossi

By MARYELLEN APELQUIST

ong before she came to Vermont Law School to teach, before she had even finished law school, before she met said nun, (now Professor) Cimini had grown somewhat disenchanted with the law and its seeming lack of connection to real-world problems. It was the late ’80s/early ’90s, the height of the AIDS epidemic—when life expectancy was nowhere near what it is today—and she was fed up. “There was a huge sense of community urgency,” she recalls. “People were angry. They wanted change. ‘It’s us against the world,’ we said. And the government was ignoring the crisis. I became disillusioned with law school. And because I was interested in public service, I volunteered with the AIDS Project of Hartford [Conn.].” It was a friend with HIV/AIDS who would change Cimini’s mind about giving up on the law. As part of her service, she had dinner with her AIDS Project “buddy” once a week. They grew close, confided in each other, and one day she told him that she wasn’t sure about a legal career. Her new friend reminded her to, “Use your place of privilege to help people like me.” So she did. At the end of her third year of law school, Cimini was offered a post at a firm “with a lot of money” and turned it down. Instead, she looked for someone to fund her in public interest law. She found the Jesuit Volunteers Corps and, along with it, Sister Sue Ann Shay, a veteran legal

aid worker who sponsored volunteers to work with HIV/AIDS clients. Sister Shay “was a tireless fighter for social justice who never stopped working for people and equal opportunity for all,” wrote a Hartford Courant reporter in 2009, shortly after Shay’s death. Before joining the JVC, she worked for the New York Legal Aid Society, where she contributed to the landmark case Goldberg v. Kelly, in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that financial aid recipients’ benefits could not be terminated without a pre-termination hearing; then the New Haven Legal Assistance Program; and finally the Hartford Neighborhood Legal Services Program. Cimini remembers Sister Shay as, “an incredible mentor. She believed in me when I was not such a confident lawyer. She said, ‘You can do this.’” Her first day of work as a JVC volunteer, Cimini faced an intimidating pile of 30 case files. In those files were issues related to social security and disability, housing discrimination, children of mothers with HIV/ AIDS, and estate planning. She’d work those cases, and more, and later she’d partner with the American Civil Liberties Union to protect the rights of people living with HIV/ AIDS in Connecticut during a “time of hysteria.” Cimini visited clients at their homes, and in their hospital rooms. “I felt like it was my job to fix it all. I realized I was powerless over their health, but at the same time I

could make a difference in their lives. I worked with indigent women and gay men of color, who were ostracized from their families and friends and had no one left. For them, there were no more barriers—no reason to have any. I saw them at their most vulnerable and honest moments.” In some ways, her work life became her personal life. She found it challenging to define boundaries in this “era of orphans”—when children of AIDS victims were left behind— and even considered adopting a client’s child. She ultimately decided she wasn’t ready for parenthood, and an HIV/AIDS doctor who had become a friend adopted the child instead. Cimini lived in the Frog Hollow neighborhood of Hartford, immersed in the community she served. She “saw people and got to know people” and established trust with her clients. At home with her six roommates, all JVC volunteers, she lived off a monthly $80 stipend. She took the bus to work, to her Albany Avenue office where she was the “newbie,” surrounded by “old-time legal aid folks,” and shared lunches of Jamaican patties and salted cod from the neighborhood. When the year was up, she didn’t want it to end. She researched her options, then applied for and received a Cover Fellowship at Yale Law School—making her one of the first clinical teaching fellows at the school—where she could continue her HIV/AIDS advocacy work and set on a path toward clinical teaching. There she met another mentor, Steve

S P R I N G 2015

Rob Bossi

“

PAYING IT FORWARD

Wizner, supervising attorney and clinical professor of law. Wizner and his colleagues tasked her with establishing a legal services clinic where students could learn to counsel lowincome clients with HIV/AIDS. “It was a time when people were scared to death of people with HIV/ AIDS,” says Wizner. “She was so good at being a spokesperson for that community and helping our students to do that. She really stirred things up—in her very kind, gentle way. Of all of our fellows, she’s the one I remember as being the most innovative and bringing something special into our program. Christine’s a perfect example of what you can

LOQUITUR

do with the law to serve and help take care of people. She’s not just soft-hearted; she’s really smart. She sees what needs to be done and gets it done.” “Our first HIV/AIDS client was a 4-year-old boy,” remembers Wizner. “The school superintendent wouldn’t allow him into public schools. We fought with the school system, and they set up a separate room for him in the basement of a church. People thought being in the same city, the same room, was a danger. To be working on legislative endeavors and court cases in that environment couldn’t have been easy, yet Christine always had a smile on her face.”

— JONATHAN HERNANDEZ

Sophie Pingul

CHRISTINE CIMINI : PROFESSOR, VOLUNTEER, ROLE MODEL.

Twenty years later, Professor Christine Cimini is the director of the Semester in Practice (SIP) and JD externship programs at Vermont Law School. She mentors students—and connects them with other mentors who help them learn the law in a practical setting. She also encourages students to evaluate their priorities, professionally and personally, as they consider their futures in the law. Here, Cimini mentored Jonathan Hernandez ’13 during his 2L and 3L years. She guided his placement with Bread for the City, a nonprofit that provides medical care, legal and social services to vulnerable residents of Washington, D.C., where, Hernandez says, he “felt connected with clients and could make a real difference in their lives.” It’s why he “went to law school to begin with, to serve marginalized communities.” Later, he sought Cimini’s counsel on what might come after law school. “She shared with me her experience with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and I thought it would be a good springboard for the rest of my career.” The JVC accepted Hernandez into the program, and in May 2013, he learned he’d be living and working in Detroit, portrayed in the media as the city where the American dream went to die—1,000 miles from anyone he knew. “I knew it was a city that needed a lot of help and would enable me to focus on helping the people that need it most.” Hernandez departed South Royalton for the Motor City to volunteer with the United Community Housing Coalition, a nonprofit that provides free services to tenants, homeowners, the homeless, and local orga-

I learned a lot about myself that year, about how I want to practice law, about working to prevent a single mom with five children from getting evicted from public housing, when a bailiff is about to put her stuff out on the street.”

nizations to improve and expand housing opportunities. Like Cimini, Hernandez lived in the low-income community he served, Mexicantown, sharing quarters with six other volunteers. He had a $100 stipend; biked where he needed to go, through snow and in the summer heat; and paired up with his roommates to prepare meals—all the while learning to “live simply,” one of the JVC’s core values. As a resident of the city, he learned its history, from the auto industry to race riots, and how that history affects where people live. “The city went from one of the country’s most populous to now about 600,000, yet there’s infrastructure for 2.1 million. There’s a grit to it. Detroit is still rebuilding. The clients I worked with were lifelong residents, and so proud of their city.” Hernandez clerked, managed case files, and served as the go-to liaison for evicted tenants who needed to find new homes. He remembers his

first days on the job as challenging— “being thrown in the fire, you learn as you go, you prepare yourself mentally and physically for different situations”—and rewarding. “I learned a lot about myself that year, about how I want to practice law, about working to prevent a single mom with five children from getting evicted from public housing, when a bailiff is about to put her stuff out on the street,” he says. “You drop everything when a client walks through the door.” It’s working with students like Hernandez—seeing them make a difference—that motivates Cimini. “I don’t think I’d be a clinician today were it not where I started,” she says. “My service work fundamentally altered my life. Those were some of the best learning opportunities I’ve ever had. And now, in clinical teaching, I think I have the best of both worlds, teaching and clinical practice.”

Since 1956, the Jesuit Volunteers Corps has placed more than 12,000 volunteers in service in low-income communities. For more information about the JVC, visit www. jesuitvolunteers.org.

JONATHAN HERNANDEZ POSES INSIDE THE DEFUNCT PACK ARD AUTOMOTIVE PLANT IN DETROIT. THE 3.5 MILLION-SQUARE-FOOT COMPLEX, THE LARGEST ABANDONED FACTORY IN THE WORLD, HAS BECOME A CANVAS FOR GRAFFITI ARTISTS AND A MAKESHIF T HOME FOR THE CIT Y’S HOMELESS.

CLASS NOTES

NOTES FROM THE VERMONT LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION “Service” has different meanings for different people but it is a common bond—and thread—between the diverse alumni of Vermont Law School. The definition of service is as wide-ranging as the places and ways in which VLS alumni have served. To me, however, the most relevant definition entails making a contribution for the benefit of others. I’ll add to that definition, “without expectation of any return on that contribution.” What makes service meaningful is that it comes from the heart, and is intended to benefit someone else. Regardless of the intent to contribute and do good in the world without any expectation of return, service almost always pays back in meaningful ways that are profound and unexpected, as I’ve learned from

Johannes Kroemer

Rob Bossi

NEWS FROM THE DC REGIONAL ALUMNI GROUP

LOQUITUR

The D.C. Vermont Law School Alumni Association (DCVLSAA) has started off 2015 with a bang! Already we have held our 4th annual ski trip to Liberty Mountain, hosted Supreme Court Bar inductees, and hosted a happy hour at Side Car, a local bar in DC. DCVLSAA has a number of activities planned for this spring and

my own experience. I do pro bono work representing battered women in divorce and custody proceedings. One of my current cases is, in a word, difficult. The client is difficult. The husband is difficult. The court is overburdened, and the judge is exacting. I admit, I’ve said several times, “this is it, I’m not doing it again.” But then the unexpected happens and I change my mind, as was the case this last time. I had pushed a mother to enroll her teenager, a high school drop-out struggling with a learning disability, to enroll in GED classes for mostly strategic reasons. But ultimately, enrollment in the program led to the teenager’s first academic success. I never expected that outcome, and the pleasure for both the mother and the child made the frustrations worthwhile.

I encourage each of you to find the time and an avenue to serve one of your communities. I am sure you will find all sorts of unexpected pleasures through that service. I hope you will share those stories with your fellow VLS alums. On another note, this will be my last “alumni notes” piece as I am wrapping up my tenure as President of the VLSAA. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve my fellow alumni, and I intend to find other ways to continue to work on your behalf.

summer. We are coordinating and hosting “Swan Talks,” TED-style talks by alumni who are speaking about their work. Our first one will focus on climate change issues. We are also coordinating happy hours while faculty are in town, bowling nights, and White House West Wing tours. We will also continue our mentoring program for current students in D.C. We always enjoy connecting current students with D.C. alumni.

Our goal is to see all of you more often in 2015 than we saw you last year. As always—to keep up-to-date on the D.C. activities—contact us at dcvlsaa@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. You can also contact D.C. Chapter President Jami Westerhold ‘08 at jwesterhold@gmail.com.

Sincerely, Karis L. North JD’95 President, Vermont Law School Alumni Association knorth@mhtl.com connect.vermontlaw.edu/vlsaa

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

1976 Mark Portnoy mhportnoy@gmail.com

1977 Please email alumni@vermontlaw.edu if you are interested in serving as class secretary.

1978 Photography by Robert North

Please email alumni@vermontlaw.edu if you are interested in serving as class secretary.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT HAROLD E. EATON JD’80 On October 27, 2014 Harold “Duke” Eaton was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court—the first VLS graduate to have that honor. A native Vermonter, Duke was born in Windsor and raised in Woodstock. He received a B.S. in Education from the University of Vermont in 1977 and a J.D., cum laude, from Vermont Law School in 1980. His 35-year career spans public service in the State’s Attorney’s Office in Burlington, in private practice in Rutland and as founder and partner in the firm of Eaton & Hayes in Woodstock from 19912004. He served on the American Board of Trial Advocates, on the State Police Advisory Commission and as a member of the Defense Research Institute. Governor Jim Douglas appointed Duke to the Superior Court bench in April 2004, where he served on—to name a few—the Judicial Conduct Board, Civil Division Oversight Committee, Family Division Oversight Committee (Chair) and the Judiciary Advisory Council. He was elected to the American Law Institute in 2014.

LOQUITUR

from the northwest region of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Their oldest son has served 10 years in the military, including active service in Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Their younger son is a professional musician. John Sahl JD’79 recently coauthored and published a second law school textbook, Sport Law Cases and Materials (3rd edition). He is working on the 5th edition of his book, Evidence Problems and Materials (co-authored with Steve Friedland) for release in 2015. Colon Willoughby ’79 retired from the Wake County District Attorney’s Office, joining the Raleigh, NC office of the national firm McGuire Woods LLP as a partner in the Government, Regulatory and Criminal Investigation Section.

Roberta Robin Bren JD’78 was recognized in the 2015 edition of WTR 1000, a publication that focuses on trademark practices and practitioners. Described as “highly competent and thoughtful,” Robin was ranked in the Bronze Tier for Trademark Prosecution and Strategy.

1980

1979

1981

Deborah Bucknam dbucknam@vtlegalhelp.com

Tim McGrath mcgrath.timothy@dol.gov

John Cross JD’79 spent 16 years practicing in northern Colorado (until 1996), then the past 14 years with Idaho Legal Aid Services at its Nampa Family Justice Center office, representing domestic violence victims in protection order, divorce, and custody cases. The Justice Center is similar to those in Boston, New York City, and elsewhere, and includes prosecutors, police, health and welfare workers, and mental health, medical exam facilities, and counseling staff who all work with victims. His spouse Diana retired

Scott Cameron jscameron@zclpc.com

1982 Larr Kelly photolarr@tidalwave.net Richard Feldman JD’82 writes, “our own (Dean) Richard Feldman appeared in early January in WGBH’s Frontline talking about the politics of guns. Rumor has it he will be in several documentaries this spring

and is in negotiations with Hollywood about a made for TV miniseries.”

1983 Martha Lyons malyonsesq@hotmail.com Joseph Benning JD’83 was reelected to another two-year term in the Caledonia-Orange District of the Vermont State Senate in November, 2014. He serves as vice-chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sits on the Senate Government Operations Committee, and was elected Senate Minority Leader for the second time. He spoke at the well-attended February VLS reception hosted by the Vermont statehouse, describing that, “it’s hard to walk through the statehouse during the legislative session and not run into several VLS graduates every day.” Joseph was a panelist in March at the VLS conference on whether Vermont should legalize the use of marijuana, along with two of his Senate Colleagues: “I had a great time showing them the law school,” he wrote, “heading over to Worthy Burger for a beer afterwards with Professor Robert Sands and several students that had attended the conference. It was fun being back in SoRo as a veteran lawyer, as opposed to being a nervous law student!” Donna Watts JD’83 has retired after representing school employees for 25 years at the Vermont affiliate of the National Education Association. She continues to serve on the board of the Vermont Foodbank and works on hunger issues in Vermont.

1984

Please email alumni@vermontlaw.edu if you are interested in serving as class secretary. Lou Helmuth JD’84 is the Deputy Director at Our Children’s Trust, a think-tank coordinating the global Atmospheric Trust Litigation campaign, on behalf of youth and future generations to secure a healthy atmosphere and stable climate. Numerous talented VLS alumni and professors serve as counsel and amici in these cases in a variety of jurisdictions. Learn more at www. ourchildrenstrust.org.

1985 Please email alumni@vermontlaw.edu if you are interested in serving as class secretary. Kevin Bernstein JD’85 is listed in the Chambers Guide USA 2015, a guide including the top lawyers in 175 countries, providing independent rankings and editorial commentary. Kevin, chair of his firm Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC’s property department, is an environmental and energy attorney focusing on obtaining permits and approvals for gas storage, mining, power generation, landfill, electrical and gas transmission and wind energy projects by private and municipal clients. He also practices in the areas of land use, condemnation and real estate, and regularly appears before the Public Service Commission, the Department of Environmental Conservation and other state and federal agencies. Frank Twohill JD’85 vacationed again with Stephen Pisini JD’85 on St. Martin and St. Barthelemy in December 2014. Both are solo practitioners; Steve has an estate planning practice in Milford, MA,

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

KEVIN BERNSTEIN JD’85

MARGARET MANGAN JD’86 AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JUDGES ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO IN OCTOBER OF 2014.

and Frank works from Branford, CT, with children and their families in Connecticut probate and juvenile courts. Frank writes that he’s “looking forward to seeing everyone in our VLS class in June at our 30th VLS Class reunion!”

1987

1986 alumni@vermontlaw.edu Margaret Mangan JD’86, an Administrative Law Judge with the District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings, moderated a panel on implicit bias and access to justice at the National Association of Women Judges Annual Conference in San Diego in October 2014. Panelists included Justice Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court; Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, DC Court of Appeals; and Judge M. Margaret McKeown, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

LOQUITUR

Mark Ouellette mouellette01@gmail.com David Hasbrook JD’87 gives a big shout out to all those from VLS who ever “cleated up for the Ultimate Justice frisbee squad.” He has been coaching youth ultimate in the Seattle area the past five years. He asks, “is there still an ultimate team at VLS? Don’t hear much about it lately. Is the Ultimate Justice study room still in the library? Those of us from the 80s, led by Larry Kelly, raised the dough to get that room in the library. Keep our dream alive, kids!” Scott Mapes PE, Esq. JD’87 has been a member of the Burlington Conservation Board (BCB) since 2000. Both the Vermont Planners Association and the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association recognized him with the 2009 Citizen Planner of the Year award for his work on the City of Burlington Stormwater Task Force and its rewrite of Chapter 26. The EPA recognized the City of Burlington with a National Environmental Achievement Award in 2009 for

their Stormwater Ordinance Chapter 26. In 2010, Scott was the recipient of the Preservation Burlington 2010 Ray O’Connor Award for his significant contribution to the betterment of community life through his efforts on the BCB. Scott and wife Stephanie Mapes JD’88 live in Burlington with their soon-to-be-10year-old son, Lennon. Charlie Soltan JD’87 is pleased to announce James W. Bass has joined his practice in Augusta, ME, the firm changing its name to Soltan Bass, LLC. James served as Judge Advocate in the JAG Corps for nearly 6 years and continues in that role as a Major in the Maine National Guard. A Maine native, James graduated from Bowdoin College and the Maine School of Law. He will practice in the administrative/regulatory and legislative advocacy practice of the firm that earned Charlie recognition as Lawyer of the Year in Augusta for Administrative Law by Best Lawyers in America© for 2014-15. Saundra Swift JD’87 has retired and is enjoying an early spring in Tallahassee, FL, with her husband Henry (also retired) and two cats. Please email her at sswift@nettally.com.

Michael Williams JD’87 & Lauren Larrain JD’87, who met at VLS, celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary this past September. They have 2 children— Jared (25) graduated from the Naval Academy in 2011 and is a Marine lieutenant in Special Forces training at Camp Lejeune, NC; Caitlin (22) is graduating this May from the University of Maryland with a marketing/supply chain management double major, and will be joining Macy’s Baltimore office as a manager. Lauren practiced real estate law. Mike has worked with the NJ Attorney General’s Office since 1988, and is now an assistant attorney general, overseeing the Division of Criminal Justice’s Appellate and Prosecutors Supervision & Training Bureaus, and managing the Division’s attorney hiring.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

1988

JIM GRATTON JD’90

alumni@vermontlaw.edu

Working at the South Royalton Legal Clinic in the fall of 1989, Jim Gratton leaped at the chance to represent a child trapped in the middle of a custody battle. Jim credits Clinic director Jim May with this opportunity: “He probably did more than anyone else to set me on a course of public service.” Jim continues to decorate his office with the handmade welcome sign—a gift from the child in the custody case—and a symbol of his future career. From 1990-2013 Jim worked as a public defender and district attorney in Pennsylvania. With his trial team partner, Jim represented a number of defendants in death penalty homicides, some of which made national news (such as the case of 19-year-old David Ludwig who, in 2006, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing the parents of his 14-year-old girlfriend.) By the time he moved to Vermont in 2013, Jim was a death penalty qualified senior assistant public defender with the Lancaster Public Defender’s Office, having tried 100 or more trials. Jim is now the Addison County Public Defender based in Middlebury, Vermont. Describing his career transition, Jim said, “I sometimes miss the quantity of more serious cases,” but, “I really love the fact that I can be much more ‘hand’s on’ on a case by case basis here, and devote more time to each client.” He now lives closer to his parents, and works on his 65-acre farm, “cutting wood, collecting sap, hunting and just enjoying the great outdoors”.

1989 alumni@vermontlaw.edu Randy Abate JD/MSEL’89 published his latest book in January 2015, Climate Change Impacts on Ocean and Coastal Law: U.S. and International Perspectives (Oxford University Press.) The book identifies contexts in which climate change impacts are adversely affecting marine and coastal environments and explores possible legal responses to this international problem. Two of the contributing authors in the book are Susan Farady JD’94 and Stephanie Showalter Otts JD/MSEL’01.

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

1990

Mario Gallucci mgallucci@hnglaw.com

Ruth D’Eredita JD/MSL’90 and Anthony D’Eredita JD'89 celebrate 24 years of marriage this May, and 26 years since they met in Professor Dycus’s Water Law class in the Map Room. Their daughter is a first year at Macalester College and sons Anthony and Matthew are in the ninth and seventh grades. Ruth writes, “thanks, VLS!”

Task Force investigating methamphetamine distribution; working security for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics; and working counterterrorism matters in Washington, DC and Albany, NY. He spent five years in Cuba, the last two of which he was the Agent in Charge of all FBI operations. Andy is currently one of two FBI Agents covering all of Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania, investigating Organized Crime, Terrorism, Cyber Crime and Public Corruption matters. John Gonzo JD’90 announces that the Gonzo Law Group has merged with L’Abbate Balkan Colavita & Contini. The firm can be reached at Jgonzo@LBCCLaw.com or 973-422-0422.

1991

CLASS NOTES

StudioS Original

CAPTAIN CARLOS DE LA ROCHA JD’90 AND HIS FAMILY AT TENDING THE US MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY BALL IN NOVEMBER 2014, IN THE US EMBASSY SOFIA, BULGARIA. Carlos de la Rocha JD’90 served on Active Duty as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer for seven years after graduating from VLS, and still serves in the Marine Corps Reserves. He has been deployed overseas twice, the second time for a combat deployment. Andy finished his last two and a half years as an Assistant Professor of Military Law at the U.S. Naval Academy where he was also a Platoon Commander and Assistant Hockey Coach. He joined the FBI in 1999, serving in the following roles: investigating violent crimes on Indian reservations in South Dakota; working on a multi-Agency Drug

LOQUITUR

and

Local

i v e R gaLLeRy ~

Unique

Dave Celone 1 Main St. On the Common Lyme, NH 03768 art@longriverstudios.net www.longriverstudios.net 603-795-4909 10 am - 5 pm, Mon - Sat, or by appointment

LONG RIVER STUDIOS & GALLERY, OWNED BY DAVID CELONE JD’92

torney generals in his 15 years in the New York Attorney General’s office, currently working for Eric Schneiderman (D). Michael has helped establish New York state as a leader in environmental litigation. He spearheaded a multistate litigation challenging EPA standards for fine particles, and argued at the D.C. Circuit in support of EPA’s greenhouse gas regulations. In 2013, the American Bar Association named Myers the government environmental lawyer of the year.

FRANK RAMAIZEL JD/MSEL’91 WITH HIS WIFE, LOESJE, AND HIS DAUGHTER, EDEN.

they spend as much time as they can in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They also enjoy time with their toddler grandchildren. In March, Frank was the officiant at their daughter Eden’s wedding in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Peg Stolfa margaret.stolfa@gmail.com Frank Ramaizel JD/MSEL’91 and LLM’92 Syracuse University retired from teaching International Tax Law in 2005, and despite thinking his, “life of globetrotting was finished,” he became the Department of State’s rule of law senior advisor for the U.S. Ambassador in Baghdad, Iraq, 2005-2008. During 2009 and 2013, he represented U.S. interests in Kabul, developing rule of law courses for the Afghan Supreme Court, prosecutors, and the defense bar. In the fall of 2014, Frank supported the U.S. Consulate’s peace efforts in Jerusalem. He recently received a Peer nomination for a third Fulbright Scholar award for teaching law at the Kyrgyz National University in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Currently, he’s a visiting scholar with the World Engagement Institute of Chicago. He lives with his wife Loesje near Tampa, Florida, though

o n g

1992 Margaret Olnek mlo@olneklaw.com Dave Celone JD’92 and his wife Lisa own a small art studio and artisan craft shop three doors away from their house in Lyme, NH. “Surprisingly, we’ve found ourselves right smack in the epicenter of a worldclass artist colony here in the VT/ NH Upper Valley region. We’re having a ball with art openings, wine tastings, and shows of various mediums of fine art and craft made by local artists all from within about a 50 mile radius of Lyme.” If anyone is traveling in the area, Long River Studios & Gallery is only about 45 minutes from South Royalton and VLS, “please give a holler and we’ll roll out the red carpet for you! djcelone@gmail.com”

1994 alumni@vermontlaw.edu

JACK AND JUSTIN BROOKS, BORN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2015. Carole Wacey Maraj JD’92 and husband George welcomed twin boys (Jack Ryan and Justin Brooks) on February 22, 2015. Carole is enjoying a change of pace while on maternity leave from WNET. Dana Tangren JD’92, a registered patent attorney focusing on foreign and domestic patent application, was recently elected to Workman Nydegger’s Board of Directors, Utah’s largest intellectual property firm. Dana was recently recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Salt Lake City, Patent Law.

1993 Lainey Schwartz geowoman3@aol.com Michael Myers JD’93, who lives in Albany with his wife and two children, has worked for three at-

Lauren Case JD’94 spent nearly 20 years with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland. She is now in private practice in Washington, DC, several years ago joining the firm Flowers Law of another former federal public defender, Kobie Flowers. The litigation firm represents criminal defendants and whistleblowers. John Gillroy MSL’94 is on leave from Lehigh and is living in Vancouver, British Columbia, having been appointed Visiting Simons Chair in International Law and Human Security at Simon Fraser University. Paul Lhevine JD/MSL’94 began his new role in April 2015 as Chief Executive Officer of the 36-yearold Colorado home for roots, folk, and acoustic music called Swallow Hill Music. Paul writes, “my passion for this position comes from my connection to our community, my intense desire to affect change –especially in our disadvantaged communities—as well as my own personal love of music.” Before this position, he was Executive Director and Director of External Affairs for the Aurora school district. He

RESCUED CAT ABBY RECOVERING AF TER BEING RESCUED BY FABULOUS FELINES. volunteered with Colorado College’s Public Interest Fellowship Program, PEBC and the Aurora Public Schools Foundation. He worked on campaign finance reform efforts at the National Civic League, managed congressional campaigns in Colorado and Alabama, and served as a legislative assistant to Congresswoman Diana DeGette and as a political consultant for Romer for State Senate, Coalition for a Better Colorado, and the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter. In 2006-2008 he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee; from 2008-2011 he was Senior Vice President for Donor Relations and Chief Operating Officer for Mile High United Way. Merry Stubblefield JD’94 started a 501(c)(3) charity in 2006 called Fabulous Felines of Albuquerque (fabulousfelines.org), and continues to serve as its Executive Director. The organization is dedicated to helping cats who live in the homes, neighborhoods, and city of Albuquerque, NM, promoting policies reflecting the belief that all animals should be treated with dignity and respect. Fabulous Felines works with neighborhood residents to support community cat colonies, help distressed families keep their cats in their homes, and provide a lecture series, free to the public, on respon-

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

sible animal guardianship. Merry lives with her husband Bill in Albuquerque where she also provides pro bono consultations to animal lovers.

1995 Karen Moore kj.moore@judicial.state.co.us Kristen Ulbrich Sherman JD/ MSL’95 left her position last June as a partner in the environmental practice at Adler Pollock & Sheehan in Providence, RI to join UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) in Windsor Locks, CT. She is now the Assistant General Counsel, responsible for EH&S and real estate issues. Kristen and husband Mike have recently relocated with their two sons, Jack (age 11) and Brett (age 5), to Avon, CT. Kristen writes that she, “would love to connect with alumni in the Hartford area!” Heather Toulmin MSEL’95 recently completed a trauma certificate and is expanding her therapy practice. She continues to collaborate with the criminal justice system and VLS South Royalton Legal Clinic for women and children’s welfare. Her son Seth recently entered kindergarten. She writes that she and her family “had a fantastic stay with alumni Joe McCaleb MSEL’95 and Glenda McCaleb in their beautiful TN retirement home.”

1996 alumni@vermontlaw.edu Joseph Gortych JD’96 published a book through the CRC Press entitled Consider a Spherical Patent— IP and Patenting in Technology Business. He writes that he will, “report back on whether it was worth the effort (currently

LOQUITUR

hourly effort based on royalties received to date can be measured in micro-cents). Movie rights available; see my agent Gary Russell JD’96.” Kristin Nelson JD/MSEL’96 joined Clean Energy Counsel, a renewable energy virtual law firm formed in San Francisco, after a five-year break from her renewable energy practice to spend time with her daughters, She practices in Bend, Oregon, where she enjoys the ski town life with her family.

1997 Cheryl Deshaies davis4nh@comcast.net After “working for The Man and whining about it for 16 years,” David Carpenter JD/MSEL’97 opened The Carpenter Law Firm, PLLC in September 2013. His main office is in Middlebury, VT, with a satellite in Orwell and meeting/conference space in Rutland. Dave handles a variety of general matters (civil litigation, family law) matters with his existing smaller business clients and individuals, but also continues to represent large companies like Casella Waste Systems, Inc. He intends to increase the number of environmental and land use clients as well in VT, NY, and MA, where he is licensed. He’s also working on strategic partnerships with other attorneys (a number of them VLS grads) to provide costeffective “general counsel” services to businesses that need the expertise but not the overhead. Visit carpenterlawpllc.com. Jamie Moorhead, a student at the Environmental Intensive Summer Session in 1997, recently published Tenant Leasing 101: The Essential Business and Legal Strategies for Your Next Lease. The book is currently available on Amazon.

CLASS NOTES

1998

alumni@vermontlaw.edu Cheryl Ayer JD’98 has worked for the past eight years as Legal Services Director at New Hope for Women, a domestic violence agency serving four counties in coastal Maine. Cheryl represents victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking at protection order hearings and in their ensuing family matters — divorce, parental rights, property division and other related matters. Cheryl writes, “the work is both difficult and rewarding, and all of our services are pro bono.” She took a year off to write a book of legal fiction (“which was a lot of fun. It’s in the rewrite stage now — stay tuned!”) She lives on the coast of Maine with Bob Rubin (husband of eleven years) and their two cats.

JD/MSEL ’99 has been an attorneyadvisor in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of General Counsel as counsel to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Last December he was promoted to Deputy Section Chief for Protected Resources and Habitat, in the Fisheries and Protected Resources Section of the Office. He lives just outside Washington DC, in Chevy Chase, MD, with his wife of 15 years Patricia (Kennedy) Vieira JD/MSEL’98 and, “the two lights of our lives, daughters Eleanor (8) and Charlotte (6). We’d love to hear from old friends and classmates: rod.vieira@noaa.gov.”

amazing 7 year old daughter Molly. Sarah North JD’00 writes that after taking sailing lessons five years ago, she and husband Barrie bought an old sailboat, took a year off, and sailed around the Caribbean with their three boys. They left Lake Champlain in September 2014 and arrived in the British Virgin Islands in November. The family islandhopped as far south as Dominica, and as of February, are currently in Antigua, heading back north. Sarah writes, “[l]iving and traveling on a small old boat and homeschooling three active boys is one of the most challenging things we have ever done. Follow our adventure on sailingwithkids.net or on Facebook (Sailing with Kids).”

1999 Joy Kanwar-Nori joy.kanwar@brooklaw.edu Christian Pedersen JD’99 extends a sincere “thank you” to everyone who attended the Homecoming celebration last September, “as well as to those who gave generously toward our class gift.” Christian continues, “[t]he final numbers are in and we raised an eye-popping $51,066. Way to go, Class of ’99!” He gives a special thanks as well to his reunion co-chairs Kenneth “Mac” Webster JD’99 and Kolleen Kirk JD/ MSEL’99. “They inspired me to keep working the phones in the weeks leading up to Homecoming and, most importantly, suffered through all my nostalgic stories about the Slater House, Barry’s Pizza, and my self-described ‘legendary run’ on the VLS softball team. See you all in 2019 (but hopefully sooner).” Since March 2008, Rod Vieira

ROD VIEIRA JD/MSEL’99 WITH WIFE PATRICIA KENNEDY VIEIRA JD’MSEL’98 AND THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS, ELEANOR AND CHARLOT TE. SARAH NORTH JD’00 AND HER SONS ON ALCHEMY, UNDERWAY FROM ST. MARTIN TO SABA.

2000 alumni@vermontlaw.edu Matthew Mortier MSEL’00 works for the Colorado Division of Insurance, Department of Regulatory Agencies on the regulatory implementation of the Affordable Care Act and interfacing with the Colorado General Assembly on legislation that impacts health insurance and the cost of health care. Matt and his wife Tiffany Mortier JD ’01—who just celebrated 10 years as a permanent law clerk with the Colorado Court of Appeals—still live just outside of Denver, with their

Heather Parent JD/MSEL’00 was recently appointed Deputy Commissioner of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP.) After 10 years of practice in the private sector in Bangor, ME, Heather was appointed Policy Director at DEP in 2011. From May of 2014 through her appointment in February of 2015, she served in the capacity of Acting Deputy Commissioner for the Department. She has enjoyed the past three and a half years developing and implementing the environmental policies for the state, and looks forward to continuing to serve the state of Maine.

Miriam Rodriguez-Uyeda, Esq. JD/MSEL’00 has been working as an Associate Attorney for the Riggs, Abney Law Firm in Denver, CO, working in general civil litigation, as well as several environmental law cases. Kathleen Dawson Spitzer JD’00 is pleased to announce the release of The Happy Hypochondriac Survives World Travel, the second book in The Happy Hypochondriac series. She is also the author of the humor blog of the same name at happyhypochondriac.com.

2001 alumni@vermontlaw.edu Daniel McManus JD’01 writes that he opened the McManus Law Office last November in historic Manchester Center, Vermont. He is enjoying being his own boss and the freedom of running his own practice. He and his wife, Susan McManus JD'07 welcomed their daughter Quinn Mary McManus to their family. "Baby Quinn enjoys all the attention she is getting from her parents and older sister and brother, Aislinn and Braeden.

DAN MCMANUS JD’01 WITH SON BRAEDEN AND NEWBORN DAUGHTER QUINN.

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

2002

Paige Bush-Scruggs paigescruggs@comcast.net Scott Hulbert JD’02 and Kate MacKay MSEL’01 relocated with their son Rowan to Boise, Idaho in August 2014. Scott is an attorney with the Office of the Solicitor, Department of Interior. Kate is still with the Wilderness Society serving as their Director of Wildlands Communications.

2003 Shannon Bañaga vlsmaher@yahoo.com Scott Clausen JD’03 has accepted a Research and Policy Associate position with the American Council On Renewable Energy in Washington, D.C. After nearly nine years of working with the Conservation Law Foundation to protect New England’s environment and build healthy communities, Anthony Iarrapino JD’03 became the Campaign Director for the Alliance for a Healthier Vermont, a coalition of health care providers advocating for low income Vermonters, consumer and senior advocates, and others who have united out of concern for the increased role that sugary drinks are playing in the prevalence of American obesity. In an effort to address these concerns and, “make healthier beverage alternatives more competitive,” and to “raise revenue to make health care more accessible and affordable, we are advocating for an excise tax on sugary drinks.” Anthony would love help with this grassroots campaign “from any classmates or fellow swans living in Vermont. Look me up at allianceforahealthiervt.org or find us on Twitter or Facebook.” Erin Minks JD’03 recently started a new job as forest planner in

LOQUITUR

the Rio Grande National Forest after her boss, U.S. Senator Mark Udall, lost his re-election. Erin writes, “[m] any of my VLS friends will remember me swearing I’d never practice environmental law but the federal natural resource management world feels like an exciting new step. Even better, I get to stay in the San Luis Valley with my family.”

2004 Spencer Hanes spencer.hanes@duke-energy.com Colin Carroll JD/MSEL’04 and Nancy Clark JD/MSEL’04 were married on September 6, 2014 at the Pitcher Inn in Warren, VT. Fellow VLS classmates in attendance included: Emily Lamond JD/MSEL’04, Shannon Slowey JD/MSEL’04, Andrea Brown JD’04, Margaret Ament JD’04, Jacob Setzer JD’04, Jordana Levine JD’04, and Ann Freeman JD/MSEL’04.

COLIN AND NANCY CARROLL JD/MSEL’04 AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 WEDDING. Kelleigh Domaingue Murphy JD’04 and husband Keith welcomed their third child, Finian Andrew, who joins siblings Alexandra Tenley (4) and Aidan August (2). Kelleigh divides her time between staying home with her children and acting as CEO of My Social Sports Network,

CLASS NOTES

running sports and social clubs in three New England states. She and her husband also own and operate Murphy’s Taproom and Murphy’s Diner in Manchester, NH. Additionally, she serves as a board member of new NH charity Bag Buddies, dedicated to raising awareness of Crohns and colostomy bags. She is a local director for the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Competition and a Town Councilor in Bedford, NH. Thomas Puchner JD/MSEL’04, living in Valatie, NY with his wife, Stephanie and two sons, Alex (7) and Nicky (5), and their dog Stella, was elected partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, a regional law firm with offices in New York State, Washington, D.C., and Canada. Practicing out of the firm’s Albany, NY office, he handles environmental, energy, land use and telecommunications law matters and related litigation across New York State. He is proud that three other VLS graduates are partners at Phillips Lytle: Kevin Hogan JD ’91, Adam Walters JD’94 (both practicing environmental law), and Rowland Richards JD’96. Thomas recently obtained a special use permit for a telecommunications project from a Planning Board represented by Jeffrey Meyer JD/MSEL’04 (“a tough regulator!”) In February, while travelling to present at a CLE on environmental review of wireless telecommunications facilities in California, he visited with brother-inlaw and VLS classmate Josh Nicosia JD/MSEL’04, and family in the San Francisco area. Thomas writes, “Josh is now Director of Legal Affairs at Jamba Juice and is an authority on franchise law.” David Rugh JD’04 and Adrienne Bombard celebrated their marriage on September 20, 2014, at the Stowehof Inn in Stowe, VT. VLS graduates who joined in the fun included: Amanda Lafferty Cloud JD’99/ MSEL’00, Susan Schwartzkopf Dimond JD’04, Paige Tomaselli

TOM PUCHNER JD/MSEL’04 WITH HIS WIFE, STEPHANIE, AND HIS TWO SONS, ALEX AND NICKY. JD’04, Jeannette Paull JD/MSEL’05, Richard McCormick JD’05, Cielo Mendoza JD’05/MSEL’02, Jennifer Morgan ’07, John Weir JD’06, Erika Smart-Weir JD’06, Jonathan Rose JD’06, Lindsay Browning JD’08/ MSEL’05, Susan Baker Senning JD/ MELP’08, Heidi Murphy Moreau JD’09, and Melanie Fenzel JD’09. David is an Associate Attorney with Stitzel, Page & Fletcher, P.C. in Burlington, VT, practicing real estate, environmental, and zoning and land use law for the Firm’s municipal, educational and institutional clients. Adrienne is the Interactive Social Marketing & Event and Sponsorship Coordinator for FoodScience Corporation in Essex, VT.

DAVID RUGH JD’04 AND HIS WIFE, ADRIENNE, ON THEIR SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2014 WEDDING DAY.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT CAROLINA T. CURBELO JD’05 Carolina T. Curbelo and Marninah L. Beitel recently announced the formation of Beitel & Curbelo, LLC—a unique all female law firm in Bergenfield, NJ. Devoted to providing legal services in immigration law and to representing clients in special education law matters for access to an appropriate education, the firm represents the passions each woman brings to the partnership. The two met while clerking for the Superior Court of New Jersey. Marninah, (who had clerked for Hon. Isabel Stark, J.S.C. and Hon. Bonnie J. Mizdol, J.S.C.) a tutor for 20 years, has focused much of her time on subject tutoring and standardized test preparation. Her reputation throughout northern New Jersey grew, garnering a large clientele— many of whom contend with processing issues, learning difficulties, and emotional and/or psychological issues. Over the years, she has gained considerable experience assisting children, adults, and families in procuring the best education. As a result, Marninah’s professional practice has focused on special education law. Carolina, who clerked for Hon. Joseph S. Conte, J.S.C. and worked for a major international law firm on securities litigation and antitrust matters, embarked on pro bono representation with Kids in Need of Defense and Sanctuary for Families. The daughter of Cuban refugees and bilingual in Spanish and English, she has been a passionate and effective immigrant and human rights advocate, pressing on issues such as the release of several Cuban political dissidents imprisoned in Cuba during the Black Spring Movement of 2003. With additional experience in law firm business development and employment and labor dispute mediation, Carolina brings a wealth of passion, wisdom and skill to this new, dynamic team.

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

2005

Meg Munsey and Kelly Singer vermontlaw2005@gmail.com Lee Knight Caffery JD/MSEL’05 writes that after over nine years together, one commitment ceremony, two children and one lawsuit against the State of North Carolina challenging its ban on same-sex marriage, she and now wife Dana were finally able to legally marry on November 1st, 2014. They are now in the process of a step-parent adoption so that Dana can be the legal parent to her own children and, “we can be fully recognized as the family we have always been.”

SØLVI HELENA GOMEZ BØE, BORN JULY 24, 2014 Kelly Green JD’05 practices in Vermont, representing criminal defendants charged with serious felonies and inmates seeking relief from unlawful prison conditions and policies. After more than 12 1/2 years in Vermont, Heather Jarvis JD/ MSEL’05 moved back to Wyoming to join the law firm Hathaway & Kunz, P.C., in Cheyenne. She brings her federal immigration law and general litigation skills to the firm, and also plans to work in energy law and minerals leasing. If anyone wants to buy her house in Randolph, Vermont, please let her know!

LEE KNIGHT CAFFERY JD/MSEL’05 WITH HER WIFE, DANA, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN. Carolina Curbelo JD’05 and law partner Marninah Beitel opened their firm, Beitel & Curbelo, LLC on March 19, 2015. They focus on special education law, school bullying matters, real estate, and immigration law. The firm’s address is: Beitel & Curbelo, LLC, 155 South Washington Avenue, Suite G, Bergenfield, New Jersey 07621, phone: 201-3846699, fax: 201-384-6698. Maria Gomez JD/MSEL’05 and her husband, Bjørn Bøe are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, Sølvi Helena Gomez Bøe, born July 24, 2014. She joins big sister, Eva Carmen, 3 years old.

LOQUITUR

CLASS NOTES

Amy Manzelli JD’05/MSEL’07 and her husband, Chad Turmelle welcomed their second child, Ida Manzelli Turmelle, on February 21, 2015. All are well. Molly Mimier JD/MSEL’05 and Rodolfo Tello married in October 2014 in Seattle, WA. Their outdoor wedding was followed by receptions for family and friends in Seattle and Washington, DC. The DC event was attended by Rowan Seidel JD’05, Olivia Campbell Andersen MSEL’03, and Rachel Steinberg. Molly and Rodolfo have moved back from Peru to the DC area, where Molly started her current job as Chief of Overseas Contracting at the Peace Corps.

MOLLY MIMIER JD/MSEL’05 AND RODOLFO TELLO MARRIED IN OCTOBER 2014 IN SEAT TLE, WASHINGTON.

On January 1, 2014, Elizabeth R. Wohl JD’05 became a director at Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC where she practices health law.

2006 Ashley Cottingham ashleybrey@gmail.com Ebony Riggins erriggins@gmail.com IDA MANZELLI TURMELLE, BORN ON FEBRUARY 21, 2015

Tracy Coppola JD/MSEL’06 recently joined The Humane Society of the United States— the nation’s largest

animal advocacy organization— as Director of its Wildlife Abuse Campaign. Her team works wildlife issues ranging from ending poaching and canned hunts, and protecting species like wolves, cougars, and bears from unethical and unsporting practices. Tracy can be reached at tcoppola@humanesociety.org. Matthew Ferrigno JD’06 recently became a shareholder and director at his firm Paul Frank + Collins P.C. in Burlington, VT. He has worked at Paul Frank + Collins since 2007 and is a member of the Insurance Services and Litigation teams. His practice focuses on advising traditional domestic insurers, London market insurers, captive insurance companies, and risk retention groups on a range of insurance coverage issues. He also litigates declaratory judgment actions on behalf of insurers and federal court. Christopher Middleton JD’06 was named winner of the State Bar of Georgia’s 16th annual Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service for the state’s District 1. The award, presented February 2015 at the Georgia Bar Center in Atlanta, recognizes lawyers who continue to value the tradition of community service and who measure their success in ways other than just financial gain. In addition to his work as Chatham County Assistant Public Defender, Christopher is involved with numerous community and volunteer efforts in the ChathamSavannah area. Brianda A. Rojas JD’06 and Roger L. Levering, Jr. were married on September 27, 2014 in Louisville, KY. Fellow Swans, Alex Manning JD’06 and Edward Healy JD’06 (both bridesmaids) were in attendance to celebrate “grande VLS fashion” at St. Francis in the Fields with lively dinner and dancing at The Pendents Club, “birthplace of the Old Fashioned.”

SAINT FRANCIS IN THE FIELDS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY SEPTEMBER 27, 2014. ALEX MANNING JD’06, BRIANDA ROJAS JD’06 (BRIDE), ROGER LEVERING, JR. (GROOM), AND EDWARD HEALY JD’06 (GROOMSMAN).

2007 Greg Dorrington gregdorrington@gmail.com

SYLVIA DORAN, BORN ON NOVEMBER 25, 2014 ing all around VLS with me during 2006/2007. He is 9 years old now, but still lively and happy.” Susan Keane McManus JD’07 and husband Daniel McManus JD’01 welcomed daughter Quinn Mary McManus in February, 2015. “Born right in the middle of one of the winter’s many snow storms, little Quinn is already keeping her parents on their toes!”

Liz Lucente liz.lucente@gmail.com Helene Busby JD’07 writes, “My husband, Stephan Edel, and I welcomed our son, Leo Edel, to our family on June 29, 2014 in New York City.”

SUSAN KEANE MCMANUS JD’07 AND HUSBAND DANIEL MCMANUS JD’01 WELCOMED DAUGHTER QUINN MARY MCMANUS IN FEBRUARY 2015.

LEO EDEL AT 8 MONTHS OLD. Margaret Stubbs Doran JD/ MSEL’07 and husband Jon Doran welcomed baby Sylvia on November 25, 2014. Sylvia “was also welcomed by her ‘fur-brother’ Sampson who some might remember wander-

Christopher Miller JD/MSEL’07 and wife Sarah welcomed their son, Caleb Robert, into the world on October 29, 2014. Chris is now a partner at Maraziti Falcon, LLP, a small law firm in Short Hills, NJ, which focuses on environmental, land use and local government law. They live in Brooklyn, NY.

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

2008

Samantha Santiago Beaulieu samantha.c.beaulieu@gmail.com Jamie Williams willjamie@gmail.com In January, Kathleen Killoy JD/ MSEL’08 joined the Boston office of the firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC as an associate. She focuses on general litigation matters including complex product liability, mass tort litigation, insurance defense and commercial litigation. Captain John Sautter, USMC JD’08/LLM’09 lives in San Diego, CA, and is the Special Counsel for Environmental Law at the Western Area Counsel Office at Camp Pendleton, CA, where he practices environmental law for the Marine Corps’s Western Region. He writes, “Antonia and I are doing great. Our daughter Katherine is now 2 years old.”

2009 John Miller johndmillerjr@gmail.com Professor Jack Tuholske and Guy Alsentzer JD/MELP’09 discussed the finer points of public land Wilderness Act management (“we had to walk instead of snowmobile”) before a 10,500 foot ski descent of Woody Ridge in Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming. Dr. William Holt JD’09, Urban Environmental Studies (UES) Program Coordinator and assistant professor of sociology at Birmingham-Southern College, edited From Sustainable to Resilient Cities: Global Concerns and Urban Efforts, Research in Urban Sociology, Volume 14 (Emerald Press.) The volume addresses sustainability efforts in cities and metropolitan regions around the world, exploring sustainable development through

LOQUITUR

GUY ALSENTZER JD/MELP’09 AND PROFESSOR JACK TUHOLSKE IN SHOSHONE NATIONAL FOREST IN WYOMING. environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, socio-political sustainability, and cultural sustainability as they apply to both Global North and South urban areas. Holt authored the chapter, “Do You Know What it Means to Rebuild New Orleans? Cultural Sustainability after Disaster.” Victoria Lloyd JD’09 launched Athena Fiduciary Services, LLC with Paula McCann JD’95 in January. They have spent years fighting against financial and property thefts from vulnerable adults by people in positions of power. Victoria writes, “Vermont lacks affordable, quality, independent professionals to serve as fiduciaries, and Athena makes high-quality fiduciary services accessible and affordable to those in need of a neutral, trustworthy fiduciary.”

2010 Cara Cookson ccookson@langrock.com Laurie Wheelock lauriewheelock@gmail.com Patrick Munson JD/MELP’10 and Louisa Yanes JD/MELP’10 “turned up the cute factor to 11” in their house. Adelaide Josephine Munson, born November 15, 2014, “is now almost four months old and learn-

CLASS NOTES

ing to laugh and pull the dog’s tails, and will probably be skiing in no time.” Louisa continues to serve as the Executive Director of the Alaska Farmland Trust, the state’s leading farming conservation organization. Patrick is an associate attorney at Boyd, Chandler & Falconer, LLP in Anchorage, focusing primarily on municipal law, corporate transactions and litigation, oil and gas, and catching rainbow trout.

PATRICK MUNSON JD/MELP’10 AND LOUISA YANES JD/MELP’10 WELCOMED DAUGHTER ADELAIDE JOSEPHINE MUNSON ON NOVEMBER 15, 2014.

Jessica Scott JD’10 works at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of General Counsel. She recently spent six weeks in China with a delegation of American environmental attorneys on a trip organized by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. She was one of eight American lawyers to participate in this law professionals exchange. The delegation travelled to Beijing, Guiyang, and Wuhan to meet with NGOs, scholars, judges, government officials, journalists, and private attorneys. Jessica participated in a fellowship with the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative in Beijing, presenting to Chinese government officials on U.S. environmental law and researching current public interest litigation in Yunnan province. The delegation consisted of Megan Ceronsky, Environmental Defense Fund; Ilona Coyle, Environmental Law Institute; Daniel Greene JD/

MSEL’03, New York City Law Department; Bart Lounsbury, Rossmann and Moore; Gil Rogers, Southern Environmental Law Center; Will Rostov, Earthjustice; and Ethan Strell, Carter Ledyard & Milburn. The delegation was accompanied by National Committee Program Officer Daniel Murphy, Scholar-Escort Alex Wang of UC Berkeley Law, and two U.S. Department of State Mandarin translators, Helen Gao and Ruby Lai. Daniel Williams JD’10 recently started a new job with the FAA as the agency’s lead advisor on the development of international measures to reduce GHG emissions from the aviation sector and will hopefully lead to the successful implementation of a global MBM to help the industry achieve its stated environmental goals.

2011 Amanda George-Wheaton amanda.georgewheaton@yahoo.com Sarah McGuire sarag.mcguire18@gmail.com Christina Asbee JD’11 is now working at Disability Rights New York (DRNY) as the Assistive Technology Staff Attorney. DRNY is New York’s Protection and Advocacy provider, offering pro-bono legal services to all individuals with disabilities. Christy helps individuals with disabilities access assistive technology to maintain independent living, employment, and/or education. Natalie Rossman Narron MELP’11 married James Welch Narron on November 25, 2014, in their home state of North Carolina. The couple resides in the Boston area. Jessica L. Reiss JD/MELP’11 and husband Anthony moved back to their hometown of Indianapolis, IN. Anthony is a Dealer Services

Representative at SRAM—one of the largest bicycle component manufacturers in the world—and Jessica is an attorney with the Office of Legal Counsel at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management focusing on air quality. Their dog Lucy, “is still living the good life as our only child.” Submitted by Peter Vetere JD’11 and James Abraham JD/MELP’11: “Adam Dumville JD’11 finished in 2nd place in the 13 & up division at the 2014 Apple Pie Eating Contest at the Exeter Fall Festival in Exeter, NH. He ate 4.5 pies in 10 minutes, just missing out on the $25 Stop & Shop gift certificate that went to the winner, who ate 6 pies. Adam vows to return again this year to challenge for the title.” This spring, Amanda GeorgeWheaton JD’11 and David Wheaton JD/MELP’11 will celebrate one year as the proprietors of Barrister Homes, LLC, one of Denver’s upand-coming real estate teams. The couple has enjoyed building the company and look forward to serving Colorado home buyers, sellers, and real estate investors for many years to come. For more information, please see www.barristerhomes.com.

2012 Susan Lettis susanlettis@gmail.com Lauren Miller lauren.miller.e@gmail.com Kendra Brown JD’12 was recently selected as the Policy Director of the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC. She will lead the policy development, strategic planning and initiatives of the Caucus. The Caucus, created in 1971, serves as a voice for people of color and

vulnerable communities in Congress to ensure that everyone in the United States has an opportunity to achieve their version of the American Dream. Kelly Connolly JD’12 passed the bar in New Hampshire and recently took a job with a consulting firm based in Arkansas and Washington, D.C., working as a Federal Contractor at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. She is a FOIA Attorney analyst, handling along with her colleagues all FOIA requests for the DOE. She moved into “an amazing apartment in Dupont Circle this year and am loving being back in a city with late-night food delivery! I see Sarah Hardman JD’12 once in a while, who is living the high life in New York City, and had a drink with Maximilian Merrill JD’12 last week. Max lives down the street from me.” Kellie Furr MELP’12 founded the first crowdfunded private-public interest firm in Portland, Oregon. Deciding to take her legal career and her desire to protect the environment into her own hands, Kellie embarked on a successful crowdfunding campaign through Indiegogo to fund a private-pubic interest law firm, which will specialize in public interest environmental law and freedom of information. Soon after the completion of her campaign, Kellie launched Metamorphosis Law with a mission to, “facilitate the collaboration of the public and private sectors to generate positive, lasting impacts upon our natural environment and those people most negatively impacted by environmental degradation and social injustice.” Kellie writes, “Metamorphosis is ready for clients!” For more information, please visit metamorphosis.io. D. Lawson Revan JD’12 is comfortably settled into life in Seattle. He recently dropped down to part time at Second Use Building Materials and is starting up a Social Purpose Corporation to offset shipping

S P R I N G 2015

CLASS NOTES

emissions for e-commerce. “Let’s connect if you’re excited about it and have any input! My email address is d.lawson.revan@ersacapital.com.” Erin Wyatt JD’12 married Alexander Syrotenko, a software engineer from Kiev, Ukraine on December 15, 2014.

2013 Brian Durkin bdurkin@vermontlaw.edu

non-profit organized called Association for Metropolitan School Districts. Her main duties are conducting research and writing memos and position papers on different education policy issues. By attending the Humphrey School and continuing her quest of learning and knowledge, she hopes to one day hopes “become a change agent in the world.” Judith Needham LLM’14 will complete an Animal Law LLM at Lewis & Clark Law School, the second component of a self-styled

CLASS NOTES

dual LLM program. She writes, “[t]he experience enabled me to build upon the great environmental law foundation provided at VLS. Stay tuned for exciting future endeavors!” Albert Shpyth MELP’14 is President of the Saskatchewan Environment Industry and Managers Association (SEIMA), and took the lead on organizing SEIMA’s inaugural conference on Sustainable Development technologies—SustainTech 2015—in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan, March 19, 2015.

Rae Kinkead rmkinkead@gmail.com Jennifer Schaper Sletten JD/ MELP’13 and Andrew Sletten JD'15 got married on July 5, 2014 in Oppenheim, Germany. They now reside in Silver Spring, MD, and plan to move to Seattle, WA, in December 2014. Stacy Tatman JD’13 has been elected to the Ten Thousand Villages, National Capital Area Board of Directors. She writes, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help promote this important mission. Here is some info about Ten Thousand Villages: tenthousandvillages.com/about-us.”

2014 Whitney Standefer whitneystandefer@vermontlaw.edu Cristina Mansfield cristinamansfield@vermontlaw.edu After graduating, Elizabeth Kahn MELP’14 enrolled in the Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning program at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota where she is also minoring in Public Policy. She is currently using skills obtained in law school for her current internship, working for a

LOQUITUR

Thank you, Karis. For nearly 10 years, Karis North JD’95 has served on the Vermont Law School Alumni Association (VLSAA) board of directors. Elected president in 2010, she has proven a passionate and committed leader, dedicating herself to representing the interests of VLS alumni with a clear, strong voice. She has invigorated the board with her vision, and helped to create an increasingly meaningful advisory body for the school. Under Karis’s leadership, the VLSAA Board has expanded its reach through the growth of regional alumni networks, thoughtful programming and events, and mentoring opportunities for both students and alumni. These accomplishments are the result of Karis’s relentless attention to detail and to her affection for Vermont Law School. Each year Karis has proposed, and the VLSAA Board has unanimously adopted, a resolution to support VLS with 100 percent participation in giving, conveying her belief that it is essential that alumni participate in supporting the school through their charitable gifts. Her leadership on this issue, and her continued commitment to and involvement in Vermont Law School’s most important initiatives, has been invaluable. Karis will step down from her role as president of the VLSAA in August.

OUTGOING VLSAA PRESIDENT K ARIS NORTH JD'95, PICTURED HERE WITH HER BELOVED NEPHEWS JASON AND IAN (AS SHE DESCRIBES, HER “BOYZ”).

VERMONT LAW SCHOOL

WELCOMES NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT LARA MAIERHOFER JD’14 Lara Maierhofer had just graduated from Vermont Law School and was awaiting bar exam results when she agreed to a summer job on a food truck; unknowingly, that was the first step towards becoming the executive director of the first nonprofit food truck in Seattle. When she first started working on the Cheese Wizards food truck, Lara had already worked for several nonprofits, and had owned and operated a small business in Denver, CO. A particularly moving event at the Ronald McDonald House that was catered by Cheese Wizards catalyzed Lara to combine her business skills with her legal knowledge and present a business proposal to the truck owners. Comfort Food Charities (a hybridized nonprofit LLC) serves hot and hearty food to deserving people in the Puget Sound area while educating the greater community about peoples’ battles with serious illnesses and health-related issues. Their first project, the “Cheese Wiches” food truck, will cater meals for children suffering from serious illnesses, injured veterans, AIDS patients, and the elderly. Operating primarily as a regular food truck for the first year, proceeds will fund the community meals. “I’m so passionate about the impact I hope it will make on peoples’ lives and their ability to heal,” writes Lara, “and I’m thrilled about its potential effect on the community as a whole.

In February 2015, Vermont Law School’s Board of Trustees elected Chris Dutton to the position of Board Chair. Chris joined the Board in 2006, bringing decades of leadership experience and a deeply held commitment to public and community service. After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School, Chris joined the Air Force, serving for four years as a captain in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps--a position that he believes provided him with advocacy and organizational leadership skills that have served him well his entire career. After six years of private practice as a partner in a large law firm in Ohio, Chris moved to Vermont, accepting the job of General Counsel of Green Mountain Power (GMP). Chris spent the bulk of his career

at GMP, retiring as CEO in 2008 after 11 years of service. He successfully shepherded GMP through financial hardships it encountered during the first months of his tenure, and through its acquisition by Montreal’s gas distribution utility, Gaz Metro, in 2007. Recruited out of retirement in 2010, Chris took the reins at Vermont Electric Power Company, serving as CEO until his second—and he hopes, last—retirement in February 2014. Chris feels strongly that those who enjoy success have a moral responsibility to give back to the communities and people who helped them achieve it. His former employer, GMP, is consistently recognized for its leadership in corporate responsibility, and has been voted one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont.” The employees at GMP are dedicated to community service–an ethic that helps GMP thrive in Vermont. Throughout his career, Chris embodied this ethic, serving as a member and chair of school boards, on the United Way board of directors,

and as chair of what is now the University of Vermont Medical Center. VLS’s mission, “law for the community and the world,” is a value that Chris holds personally. As he describes, “Our mission resonates with me deeply. I can’t think of two organizations that epitomize the concept of community service, both locally and in a broader sense, more than VLS and the University of Vermont Medical Center. To be able to serve as chair of the board of trustees of these two marvelous institutions is a distinct privilege.” “At VLS, whether in our environmental advocacy and leadership around the world, or through the tremendous work of the South Royalton Legal Clinic in Vermont, we make a difference and that is personally gratifying to me,” says Chris. “We must ensure that our mission is fulfilled notwithstanding the challenges we face in a law school marketplace that has changed dramatically in the last few years.”

S P R I N G 2015

IN MEMORIAM

grew up in southern Maryland, and received a BA from RandolphMacon College, VA, in 1983. After law school, Richard settled in Addison, VT. He began his legal career as a staff attorney in the Office of the Defender General and for the seven years prior to returning to Maryland in 2013, Richard worked as a compassionate and well respected divorce and family lawyer at Broadfoot & Associates in Burlington, VT. His many interests included collecting antiques, gardening and tending his small farm. He was an accomplished gourmet cook and loved dining out with family and friends. Richard briefly co-owned and operated the much loved The Yellow Dog restaurant in Winooski, VT. Richard was deeply committed to social advocacy, and was a fine, well-respected attorney and true gentleman. He will be remembered for his kindness, professionalism and wry sense of humor. He is survived by his parents, Issam and Joan Damalouji; brothers, David, James, Joseph, and Robert; sister Lisa Hartwell; and 13 nieces and nephews and a grand-niece. Jefferson T. Dorsey JD’89, 59, of Whitehouse, TN, died on March 8, 2014 after a short illness. Jefferson lived a richly faceted life as an attorney, musician, photographer and mentor. He was highly respected for his work in the Post-conviction Defender's office in Nashville, TN, most notably for his defense and arguments for a new trial in the Philip Workman case, eventually arguing in front of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In Arizona, he worked with both death row inmates and Na-

IN MEMORIAM J. William Nosel JD’77 of Culver City, CA, died on September 2, 2014, after a brief illness. No other information is available at this time. Jesse M. Corum IV, Esp. JD’77, 63, of Brattleboro, VT, died peacefully at home amidst family on June 27, 2014 after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Jesse grew up in New York, Europe and Vermont. He graduated from Guilford College, NC in 1973, and then spent a year working in a North Carolina prison—an experience that pushed him to attend the new Vermont Law School. He began practicing in 1977 as a Deputy Stateʼs Attorney in Brattleboro and, in 1981, became an associate at Gale, Gale & Barile, where—within a year—he was made partner. He became the senior partner of Corum Mabie Cook Prodan Angell & Secrest, PLC. Jesse tried more than 100 criminal and civil cases to jury verdict. His litigation skills and mastery of judicial procedure resulted in his service as an Acting Judge in District, Superior, and Windham Family Courts. Recognized by his peers by being selected as president of the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association, Jesse's contributions to thousands of clients made a lasting impact in and around Windham County. Upon retirement, he was honored with

LOQUITUR

a Resolution of Recognition by the Vermont Legislature. Deeply committed to volunteering in the greater Brattleboro community, he served 27 years on the board of Youth Services, was president of the Rotary club (honored by Rotary International as a Paul Harris Fellow in 1996), served as a Town Representative for 20+ years, and was a Select board member from 2008-2010. He was a longtime member and sitting deacon of First Congregational Church of West Brattleboro. Jesse was an avid and accomplished bicyclist, skier, runner and sailor who loved life, family, work and his community. Jesse and his wife of 40 years, Lynn, who passed away in 2012, are survived by son Jesse V, and wife Rachelle; son Scott, mother Joy; sister Laurie and husband Bruce Hawley; brother Vance and wife Kristin, two granddaughters and 10 nieces and nephews. Silas Stacy Chapman III JD’79, 60, of Rutland, VT, died on October, 5, 2014 due to complications from Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Born in Milford, MA, he graduated from Millis High School, excelling in sports such as baseball. He graduated from Stonehill College with a B.S. degree in political science and went on to obtain his JD from Vermont Law School. Admitted to the Bar

in 1979, he began his law career with the firm of Costello and Webber in Rutland, later becoming a full partner. In later years, he formed the firm of Webber, Chapman and Kupferer. Stacy was known for his compassion and kindness to all his clients. He was active in the VT Bar Association, serving as president of the association from 2007 to 2008. He was also a practicing lawyer for the MA State and Federal Courts. He was a member of the Grace Congregational United Church of Christ, serving as deacon and chair of the church council for several years. Mr. Chapman was also a member of the Evergreen Cemetery board, a member of the Loyal Order of Moose and served on the Town of Rutland School Board for 21 years, several as president. He is survived by his wife, daughters Kristen Chapman and her fiancé Joshua McConnel, Dr. Jessica Chapman and her significant other Michael Margarella, stepsons Michael and Matthew DelSignore, parents Stacy and June Chapman, a sister Susan Regimbald and her husband Victor, and nieces and nephews. Richard I. Damalouji JD’88, 52, of Huntingtown, MD, died on June 1, 2014 at his brother's home in Huntington, Maryland after a long battle with heart disease. Richard was born in Annapolis,

tive Americans in federal prison. Jefferson had a well-established reputation as a musician, drumming with the Something Quick Band, Cheetah Palomina and Jane Rose and the Deadend Boys. Combining passions for justice and music, Jefferson organized events opposing the death penalty, including the 1999 Journey of Hope concert in Nashville, featuring the Indigo Girls, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Jackson Brown, as well as a speech by Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking. As a photographer, he contributed images to album covers, posters, and publications, documenting carefully and thoughtfully, recording the essence of his subject matter. A mentor and inspiration to many, and ardent and tireless fighter for the rights of those disenfranchised in American society, he will be deeply missed. He is survived by wife Anastasiya, daughter Jasmine, and brother Frances. Alice S. Lumpkin MSL’93, 52, of Darlington, MD, died from cancer on July 5, 2014. An environmentalist, animal lover, and farmer, Alice and her husband owned and operated their Worthington Valley, MD farm called Mary’s Meadow. Born in Baltimore and raised in Sparks and Glyndon, MD she graduated from Garrison Forest School, earning a bachelor's degree in geology with an environmental option from Colby College, ME in 1984. As an undergraduate, Alice spent a semester in Kenya with the National Outdoor Leadership School. From 1985 to 1990, she worked for the Brandywine Conservancy in Pennsylvania,

overseeing easements and land stewardship. From 1994 to 1995, she worked for the Wilderness Society in Washington, DC. Alice earned her 1993 master's degree in environmental law from Vermont Law School as a magna cum laude graduate. She earned her law degree a year later from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Del. Alice and husband James C. Murray grew Christmas trees, tended sheep and horses, and cared for yellow Labrador retrievers and foxhound puppies on their farm. Alice enjoyed visiting wildlife parks and zoos in the United States, shared her husband's interest in vintage aircraft, and volunteered at the steeplechase races and at the Maryland Combined Training Association. Alice is survived by her husband, father, sister, and stepmother, Sandra Gill Lumpkin. Christopher B. Wren JD’99, 44, of Princeton, NJ, passed away surrounded by his family on October 1, 2014, due to a sudden and fatal brain aneurysm. After traveling the world as a child with his father, Christopher S. Wren, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times, mother Jaqueline Wren, and his sister Celia, Chris became a Vermonter at 14. His family bought a house in Fairlee for their holidays during home leaves while they were living in China. Chris became a volunteer for the New Hampshire-based Student Conservation Association because of his passion for nature preservation. He attended Pomona College, CA, and graduated from Lake Forest College, IL. During his break in studies, he lived in South Africa, accompany-

S P R I N G 2015

INTER ALIA

IN MEMORIAM

ing his father as a photographer into political hot spots in Angola, Namibia and Mozambique. Some of his photos were published in The New York Times. Chris worked for the National Park Service as a law enforcement ranger, emergency medical technician and firefighter—rescuing stranded hikers, chasing speeders and bringing in fugitives hiding in the parks. Chris enrolled in Vermont Law School because of its national environmental reputation. As a law student, he was selected to monitor elections in Bosnia for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and uncovered a pattern of fraudulent voting. After passing his bar exam in New York, Chris went to work as a litigator for the Washington law firm Hogan and Hartson (now Hogan Lovells.) His pro bono service focused on saving political asylum seekers from deportation. He was then hired by the pharmaceutical manufacturer Bristol Myers-Squibb in New Jersey and rose to become its assistant general counsel for litigation, handling complex disputes as far away as Shanghai, China last August. His easy-going spontaneous wit charmed even his legal opponents. In 2005, Chris moved his family to a suburb of Princeton, New Jersey to spend more time with his daughters. In addition to his parents, Chris is survived by his wife, Lisa Paye Wren, and his daughters, Madeleine (10), Alexandra (7); and his sister, Celia Wren. Allison W. Smith MSEL’07, 31, of Portsmouth, NH, died on February 12, 2015 from injuries sustained in an auto accident in

LOQUITUR

Milton, NH. Born in Harrisonville, MO, Allison graduated from Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City. She earned a BA in environmental policy at Dartmouth, where she was on the varsity cross country and track teams and an enthusiastic member of the Dartmouth Outing Club. She earned her MS in environmental law at Vermont Law School and would soon have completed an MBA at Babson College. Deeply concerned about the long term climate implications of the nation’s energy choices, Allison had a unique ability to help people understand complicated subjects. Before joining New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE) as an analyst, she worked at Synapse Energy Economics and Anbaric Transmission. At NESCOE, which represents the collective interests of the six New England states, Allison focused on forward-looking clean energy issues like solar power. In addition to being an accomplished marathoner and triathlete, Allison was also an avid hiker, biker and swimmer. She completed the Boston Marathon in 2011, qualifying for the New York Marathon. She was a devoted friend who lit up the lives of others with her warmth, caring and infectious energy. Allison is survived by her wife Lucy Pollard, parents, Renee and Laurence Smith, sister Lauren Pedersen (Matt), two nephews, and an extended family of relations and friends from every walk of life. Pascal Porthault LLM’09, 52, of Les Gets, France: Shannon Porthault, wife of Pascal, notified the Alumni Office that Pascal died in January of this year. No

other information is available at this time. Erica T. Lewis JD/MELP'12, 31, of Orange Park, FL, died on March 17, 2015. A native of Orange Park, Florida, she graduated with honors from Orange Park High School, and from the University of South Florida with a BA in International Studies, and minor in Spanish. She continued her studies at Vermont Law School, enhancing her academic career through numerous internships, including the Congressional Executive Commission on China, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Beijing China Arbitration Commission, U.S. Army JAG Corps, and the Terrorism Research Center. Prior to her work as an attorney at Tucker Lewis Law Office, PLC, Erica worked as a Contract Manager at Clara Martin Center as well as a Manager at Absolute China Tours in Hangzhou, China. She also taught English at Baishan School in Qingdao, China. Erica’s volunteer experience included the Red Door Church and the Community Thrift Store. She was an articulate, compassionate and determined woman who loved learning. She was Captain of the USF Women’s Soccer Team, maintaining over the years a great love for competitive sports through playing on and coaching various soccer teams. Erica is survived by her parents, Gary and Susan Lewis, two brothers, Garry Lewis and Dan (Amy) Lewis, two nephews, Jacob (Emily) and Dominic (Bryn), grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

“ WHAT A GREAT JUDGE SHOULD BE” PORTRAIT BY BONNIE MILLER

s many as 300 pair of feet walk through Vermont Law School’s Oakes Hall on a given day. Since its construction in 1998, the award-winning hall (incorporating green building techniques and state-of-the-art classroom technology) has been the law school’s primary academic facility, housing eight classrooms, a courtroom, a student lounge, and an outdoor deck. How many of the students, staff, faculty and visitors who pass through the hallways and classrooms know about the man—the Honorable James L. Oakes—in whose name the building is dedicated? Oakes Hall venerates a man who during his adult life served his state, his nation, and Vermont Law School. Judge Oakes was a leader and staunch advocate of human rights and the environ

ment during his career. He left a legacy in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the U.S. District Court for Vermont. His service to Vermont includes a term as state senator representing Windham County and attorney general. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Richard M. Nixon, an association the judge never fully embraced. As The New York Times reported in its 2007 obituary, in the years after the Watergate scandal, Judge Oakes used adhesive tape to cover the signatures of President Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell on the judicial commission that hung in his chambers. Judge Oakes was a member of the VLS Board of Directors from 1976-1994 and remained an active emeritus member until his death. He championed public 55 55

service programs, promoting the law school’s loan repayment assistance program to support VLS graduates entering public interest practice. He helped VLS establish its leading national position in environmental issues and training. He left indelible tracts in the paths of those he counseled and mentored. Former Dean Jeff Shields described the Oakes clerks as “100 lucky people,” among whom he was a member. “I now feel that I am able to say with authority that every one of us has found the experience of working as a clerk for Judge Oakes to be one of the highlights of our lives.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said that James Oakes was the “model of what a great judge should be—learned in the law, but ever mindful of the people law exists to service.” — Hannah Morris NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: In the Fall 2014 Loquitur, we wrote that the SoRo Pub was built in the 1850s. It was actually the house itself that was built then, not the pub. SSPPRRI INNGG 2015 2015

VERMONT ALBUM

Your Memories. Your VLS. HOMECOMING 2015, JUNE 26-28

ome home to Vermont Law School for Homecoming 2015. Whether itʼs your reunion year (ʼ0 and ʼ5)—or not—all are welcome to participate in this fun-filled,

memorable VLS weekend this summer. We will celebrate in style at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel, and weʼll share memories on campus—catching up with old friends, connecting with your favorite professors, and revisiting the place you once called home.

To reserve a room at Killington's Grand Hotel at the special VLS rate, call 800-282-9955, and mention "Vermont Law School VERMONT L AW STUDENTS AT TEND TOWN MEETING, SOUTH ROYALTON, VERMONT, MARCH 2015. PHOTOGRAPH BY ROB BOSSI.

Alumni Reunion."

connect.vermontlaw.edu/homecoming2015

LOQUITUR

S P R I N G 2015

S P R I N G 20 1 5

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE FOR VERMONT LAW SCHOOL

ONE L AW S C HOOLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S DE F INI T ION O F S E R V IC E .