There can be no argument: Communication is key. In 2024, that means access to broadband and cell service. The need for expanded, cutting-edge communications coverage in Vermont is critical for health, safety, education, and the economy. According to the Department of Public Service, in 2020, 71% of calls to E911 in Vermont were made from mobile wireless phones. Only 12% of Vermonters live in a landline-only household. As we all know, service via cell or broadband in Vermont remains a work in progress – and work is needed.
Vermont’s reservoir of attorneys familiar with the myriad legal issues that come with the build-out of this infrastructure isn’t a deep one. Jennille Smith, an infrastructure consultant based in Bristol, VT, and an attorney licensed in Vermont and California, has played pivotal roles in critical infrastructure development in Vermont. She’s worked on projects involving broadband, telecommunications networks, and solar. She’s also a gifted teacher who would like to help deepen that talent pool of Vermont attorneys.
Last spring, Smith, under the sponsorship of the VBA Women’s Division, presented a CLE called, “Critical Infrastructure Development: Overview and Trends in Telecom & Broadband Expansion.” (Available in the VBA Digital Library). This fall, she will be presenting a series of CLEs to expand on the basic issues she covered there. Smith will present one session a month, starting Sept. 17. The series opens then with, “Environmental & Regulatory Considerations in Critical Infrastructure Development in Vermont.” On Oct. 15, she will teach, “Business of Critical Infrastructure Development in VT – Agreements.” On Nov. 19, the topic will be, “Real Estate-Zoning & Land Use for Critical Infrastructure Development in Vermont.” The series will conclude on Dec. 14 with, “Minding the Standards in Critical Infrastructure Development in Vermont.”
All the courses are open now for registration through the CLE calendar on the VBA website. The programs will all be recorded so if you can’t come in person, you can follow up in the digital library on the VBA website. All four sessions are approved and certified to meet Rule 12(a)(1) & Rule 15(c) of the VT Rules of Admission for new Vermont licensees.
