The 2024 Annual Meeting – Recap

The VBA held its Annual Meeting at the Lake Morey Resort on Sept. 27 and followed up with a slate of webinars the following week.  Attendance was healthy with 178 registered attendees and a total of 223 on hand (including judges, sponsors, guests, and staff).  More than 130 people participated in the Zoom Basic Skills…

VBA Upgrade to “vLex Fastcase” Launches Nov. 5

By T.J. Diggins, vLex Fastcase Customer Success Representative In coordination with Fastcase, the Vermont Bar Association has offered a free legal research member benefit since 2021, providing access to cases, statutes, and regulations. Last year, Fastcase was significantly upgraded for Vermont attorneys by the addition of a searchable database of Vermont superior court decisions.  In…

Gov. Scott Appoints Seman and Gabel to the Bench

Governor Phil Scott yesterday announced the appointment of Jessica Seman of Reading as Family Division Magistrate serving the southeastern region of the state and Patricia Gabel of Stowe as Assistant Judge in Lamoille County. “Both Patricia and Jessica have demonstrated a strong commitment to public service throughout their careers,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I believe…

Save the Date! Sept. 17 is Constitution Day

  Constitution Day is an annual celebration to mark the day in 1787 when the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia.  In Vermont, the occasion has been marked by a gathering of legal experts, students, and the public at Vermont Law and Graduate School to talk about major issues facing…

Biden Nominates Mary K. Lanthier to Vermont Federal Bench

When U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford announced his intention to retire from the federal bench in Vermont last year, the VBA worked with the offices of Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch to convene a joint Judicial Nomination Advisory Panel to screen candidates and make recommendations to the senators, who made a final recommendation…

Fee Dispute Service is Available Through the VBA

Do you and a client have a disagreement about your billed attorney’s fees? The VBA offers free services to resolve disputes over an attorney’s billed fees.  The free services include both mediation and arbitration, and are provided by the VBA Fee Dispute Committee (f/k/a the Fee Arbitration Committee) (the “Committee”) to those who choose to…