A group of legal professionals, led by assistant attorney general Alfonso Villegas, a member of the VBA Board of Managers, were at South Burlington High School
on May 1, Law Day, to talk about the law to a group of high school students. Panelists were Kyle Clauss (Legal Services Vermont), Jill Martin Diaz (Vermont Asylum Assistance Program), Amy Palmer-Ellis (also a VBA Board Member and an AAG), Robert (Bob) Lyndon (Law Clerk to Vermont Supreme Court Justice Nancy Waples), Chris Mullaney (Chief Justice Paul Reiber’s Law Clerk), and Krista Cadieux (Senior Paralegal at Dinse, P.C.).
The assembly, which included seniors and ninth graders, ended with an oral argument by the students before “justices” Diaz and Clauss. The controversy? Whether a tomato is a fruit of vegetable.
After the main presentation, the students asked the panel to attend one of their classes. This provided the group an opportunity to engage in conversation in the more intimate setting of a classroom. The students asked thoughtful questions and the teachers were very appreciative and requested a similar program next year. Villegas confirmed that the VBA would be happy to coordinate a Law Day presentation for South Burlington again.
Law Day is an annual commemoration held on May 1st to celebrate the rule of law and cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal system. This year, under the leadership of President Judith Dillon, the VBA is undertaking community outreach efforts, particularly in Vermont schools. This is part of the VBA’s wider workforce development effort directed at encouraging Vermont’s students to consider careers in law. The Law Day presentation in South Burlington fits into that initiative and is one of many such events being offered this year in schools and for community groups by Vermont legal professionals.
Attorneys with an interest in connecting with students in their own communities are encouraged to contact the VBA for ideas and resources: info@vba.org.
