by Teri Corsones , Esq ., Executive Director
WHAT ’ S NEW ? VBA Annual Report 2017-2018
It ’ s a pleasure to report to you about VBA activities during 2017-2018 .
Thanks to the generosity of so many lawyers and judges who are willing to share their expertise , the VBA was able to offer a full smorgasbord of CLE Programs covering the gamut of legal topics . Over 2,500 of you attended 248 live programs and watched 559 digital programs this past year . Many thanks to the amazing VBA section chairs who organized at least one CLE during the year at the Annual Meeting in September , at the Mid-Winter Thaw in January , at the Mid-Year Meeting in March , at the VBA Tech Conference in May , or during the numerous stand-alone programs held throughout the state . Please don ’ t hesitate to let us know what CLE offerings you ’ d like to see offered , or if you ’ d like to present !
We ’ re honored to work closely with all three branches of the Vermont Government , to ensure that your and your clients ’ interests are well-represented . The VBA also serves as a resource when needed . Towards that end , we were pleased to cohost “ Legislators ’ Days ” with the Judiciary in each of the fourteen counties throughout the Fall . County legislative delegations were invited to their local state courthouses to observe court hearings , and to meet with judicial officers and lawyer “ ambassadors ” from each division . Those events were followed by a VBA Legislators ’ Reception in January and a VBA Legislators ’ Breakfast in March that we hosted at the statehouse . The 2018 VBA Legislative Overview gives a summary of relevant legislation that was passed during the last legislative session , and is available on the VBA website . We ’ re grateful that VBA Government Relations Coordinator Bob Paolini will continue in that role in 2019 . Many thanks also to the ambassadors , to the section chairs , and to many other members who offered invaluable testimony during the legislative session , when needed .
A continuing focus in the arena of public education was to encourage lawyer presentations in conjunction with Constitution Day in September . The VBA has now provided over 3,500 copies of “ Pocket Constitutions ” for lawyers and judges to distribute at presentations they give to school and civic groups throughout the state . We were pleased to organize a third annual Constitution Day Panel Presentation , with an esteemed panel of five justices , judges and a Vermont Law School Constitution Law Professor , moderated by VBA President Gary Franklin . The panel presented a one-hour basic overview of the Constitution , with a focus on Separation of Powers , at Vermont Law School in September . Links to the videos of each Constitution Day presentation are on the VBA website . The VBA is happy to provide this and other resources to whomever would like to make a presentation in their community this year .
The Young Lawyers Division and the VBA Diversity Section organized a Martin Luther King , Jr . Poster-Essay Contest for Vermont middle-school students in the Fall . Governor Phil Scott presented awards to the winners at the statehouse in January ; the students and their families also toured the statehouse and the Vermont Supreme Court Building , where their winning posters and essays were on public display for the month of January . Materials for the 2019 MLK , Jr . Poster-Essay Contest are going out soon !
The VBA and the Vermont Judiciary cohosted a Centennial Celebration of the 100 th Anniversary of the Vermont Supreme Court Building in May . Entitled “ Celebrating the Role of the Bench and the Bar in Preserving the Rule of Law ”, the event included a well-attended outdoor ceremony with remarks by Governor Phil Scott , Chief Justice Paul Reiber , and State Representative Maxine Grad , Chair of the House Judiciary Committee . The presiding judges and county bar presidents from each county presented historical accounts from their respective counties , and each received an historical marble plaque commemorating the occasion , hewn from marble from the Court ’ s original construction . Lawyer / historian Paul Gilles wrote the historical accounts , as well as a fascinating essay about the building ’ s history . The event culminated with a re-enactment of an oral argument from the Court ’ s first term in the then-new building .
VBA Members have automatic access to Casemaker , a leading legal research services provider with intuitive search capabilities . Many enhancements have been added in the past year to Casemaker features . The website includes detailed information about the latest enhancements , and benefits of Casemaker for your research .
VBA membership includes unlimited access to section activity through our online communication platform “ VBA Connect .” Developed in response to members ’ requests for the ability to archive and to search the invaluable information that ’ s shared among section members , VBA Connect allows section members to control the frequency of received posts , and to easily search and retrieve whatever information has been shared in all communities to date . If you haven ’ t yet experienced the benefits of VBA Connect , please call or e-mail the VBA office at any time for personal training .
We were pleased to offer the Second Annual Trial Academy at the Vermont Law School in July . This day-long intensive trial practice program featured ten Vermont Supreme Court Justices and Vermont Superior Court Trial Judges , who ran ten different “ courtrooms ” throughout the day . They , and participating Vermont Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers , offered individual critiques of the 70 participants ’ opening statements , direct and cross ex-
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24 THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • FALL 2018 www . vtbar . org