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In The News

August 23, 2010
LS&W Helps Military Kids Get To Addison Farm & Field Days: Fifty children of soldiers deployed with the Vermont National Guard, and their families, enjoyed a trip to Addison County Farm and Field Days this week courtesy of Langrock, Sperry & Wool, LLP. LS&W worked with Operation: Military Kids to organize the donation as part of their ongoing 50 for the 50th celebration to recognize the firm’s 50 years of service in Vermont. The children and families received admission to the fair as well as midway passes.

“When we began to organize our list of projects for the anniversary year, we knew we wanted to do something special for the troops,” said Langrock partner Jim Swift. “Operation: Military Kids presented us with an opportunity to support our soldiers overseas with direct action here at home.”
July 28, 2010
LS&W Supports Annual Stampede In Bristol: This year, the 19th annual Three Day Stampede in Bristol surpassed a total of $1 million raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation over the life of the event. For many of those years, Michelle Perlee, a long-time paralegal at Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP has been one of the volunteers who help coordinate this massive community effort. This year, LS&W honored that ongoing effort by providing 50 cases of drinking water and a tent for the fundraiser as part of their ongoing 50 for the 50th celebration of 50 years of service.

“While the firm is placing particular emphasis on groups of 50 for its 50th year, many of our lawyers and employees give back to their communities year in and year out,” said Peter Langrock. “We chose the Stampede for our 50 for the 50th donation this month because of Michelle’s ongoing and extensive commitment to this important work. Each year she gives at least 50 hours of her time to help make this event happen and we are pleased to be able to support that effort.”
July 8, 2010
Kids Attend Lake Monsters Game Thanks to LS&W: A delegation of twenty-five young students who are part of the Mobius Mentoring program took in a recent Lake Monsters baseball game, thanks to a donation of fifty tickets from Langrock, Sperry & Wool, LLP. The kids and their mentors attended the game on Langrock Night at Centennial Field, and watched the Lake Monsters earn their third straight shut-out win against the Tri-City Valley Cats. This is the latest in Langrock’s “50 for the 50th” campaign, celebrating fifty years of service in Vermont. Each month in 2010, Langrock will be making donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties.

“Attending a baseball game is on the short list of summer experiences every kid ought to have,” said Langrock attorney Tom Carlson. “It is a great pleasure to be able to help Mobius provide this to participating kids as part of their ongoing good work in the community.”

To learn more about Mobius and the mentoring movement in Vermont, visit http://www.mobiusmentors.org.
June 21, 2010
Law Review Article Explores Liability In Propane Explosions: LS&W attorneys Emily Joselson and Kevin Brown recently co-authored an article for the Vermont Law Review entitled “Propane Explosions in Snow Country: High Time to Abandon Ownership as the Touchstone of Liability.” In addition to shedding light on the legal issues surrounding maintenance of propane systems, the article also provides an excellent overview of how propane systems work and how to operate them safely, especially in Vermont during winter snow season. The article is available online at http://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/articles/v34/3/joselson-brown.pdf.
June 1, 2010
LS&W Sponsors 50 Campers This Summer at the Boys & Girls Club: Fifty kids will be attending the Burlington Boys & Girls Club summer camp program thanks to LS&W and its “50 for the 50th” celebration. The gift is part of the firm’s ongoing celebration of 50 years of service in Vermont. Each month in 2010, LS&W will make donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties.

“We have been enthusiastic supporters of the Boys & Girls Club for many years,” said LS&W partner Michael Wool. “The opportunities presented by their summer program can make a tremendous difference in the life and development of a child and we are happy to be able to support it.”

The Boys & Girls Club summer camp program is open to kids completing grades k-8, with activities ranging from arts and crafts to outdoor expeditions including sailing, kayaking, swimming and climbing.
May 23, 2010
Beth Robinson Awarded Honorary Degree by Middlebury College: LS&W attorney Beth Robinson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Middlebury College at its 2010 commencement, in recognition of her groundbreaking work on the freedom to marry movement. For more information, http://www.middlebury.edu/newsroom/node/25084 1.
May 21, 2010
Peter Langrock Honored By Vermont Legislature: The Vermont legislature recently honored LS&W Peter Langrock by adopting a special resolution. The concurrent resolution recognized the fiftieth anniversary of Peter’s being admitted to the bar and his subsequent contributions to the Vermont way of life. Peter was also featured in the cover story of the most recent edition of Seven Days. To view the article, go to http://7dvt.com/2010peter-langrock.
May 1, 2010
LS&W Donates 50 Urban Trees Each to Middlebury and Burlington: This month’s “50 for the 50th” donation from Langrock, Sperry & Wool is actually one hundred. The firm will donate 50 trees each to groups in Middlebury and Burlington, plus help defray the cost of caring for them for the next few years until their final planting. The gift is part of our ongoing celebration of the firm’s 50 years of service in Vermont. Each month in 2010, LS&W will make donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties.

“The presence of a healthy urban tree population is a key element in maintaining a vibrant community,” said LS&W attorney, Lisa Shelkrot. “This is an investment that, with proper care, will be with us for generations.”

In Middlebury, the donation will help the town establish its own nursery along with the purchase of the trees. In Burlington, the recipient will be Branch Out Burlington, a volunteer organization that has been planting trees in the Queen City since 1996.
April 21, 2010
Sarah Tischler Discusses Estate Planning with Elders: LS&W attorney Sarah Gentry Tischler spoke as part of the Spring Lecture Series at The Lodge at Otter Creek Senior Living Community in Middlebury. She spoke with residents there regarding estate planning and administration, helping people plan for a peaceful, efficient and economical management of their affairs upon incapacity or at death, and helping survivors administer personal and financial matters after the loss of a loved one.
April 15, 2010
Peter Langrock Serves As Arbitrator At International Arbitration Moot in Vienna: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock has just returned from participating as a guest arbitrator at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria. More than two hundred fifty law schools from over 60 countries competed in the annual event this year, which is designed to train law leaders of tomorrow in methods of alternative dispute resolution.

“This is the eleventh consecutive year that I have participated as a guest arbitrator in this event,” said Langrock. “A growing percentage of international disputes are being resolved using alternative dispute resolution. The opportunity to engage in a moot in an international setting provides valuable experience for the law students who will be resolving these disputes in the future.”

A moot is a simulated legal proceeding that allows law students to role-play cases and learn from their performance in the process. This particular moot involved a dispute arising out of a contract of sale between two countries that are party to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The contract provides that any dispute that might arise is to be settled by arbitration in the fictitious country of Danubia and so the exercise plays out from there. More than 500 attorneys from around the world participated in the event.
March 30, 2010
LS&W’s “50 for the 50th” Celebration Donates Fifty First Aid Kits For Girls On The Run Teams in Northern Vermont: Langrock Sperry & Wool has donated 50 first aid kits to Girls on the Run teams in Northern Vermont. Nearly 2000 girls in grades 3-8 have participated in the Girls on the Run program, which uses physical activity to help build self-esteem, since the program began in 2007. The donation is part of LS&W’s year-long “50 for the 50th” celebration of the firm’s 50 years of service in Vermont.

“Members of our staff and attorneys have been volunteers for Girls on the Run for several years and have learned first-hand the tremendous value of this program,” said Langrock attorney Erin Miller Heins.

“ We are so happy to have such wonderful support and interest in our program from Langrock, Sperry and Wool,” said Girls on the Run executive director, Nancy Heydinger. “It has been a long time goal for Girls on the Run to provide all of our sites with first aid kits. Langrock’s donation will help 50 of our northern Vermont programs to be properly equipped.”

The next Girls on the Run Vermont race event in Northern Vermont will take place at the Champlain Valley Expo on June 13. For more information visit http://www.girlsontherunvermont.org.
February 26, 2010
LS&W’s “50 for the 50th” Celebration Continues With Donation to Salisbury Community School Library: Langrock Sperry & Wool has donated 50 books to the library of the Salisbury Community School. This is the second donation of Langrock’s year-long “50 for the 50th” celebration of the firm’s fifty years of service in Vermont.

“Salisbury has made a strong commitment to providing a nurturing environment for the education of its children,” said LS&W attorney Peter Langrock. “We feel that a solid collection for the library is a key element in supporting that.” “Keeping the collection current is a challenge for any library,” said Salisbury Community School librarian, Lisa McLaughlin. “These 50 new books are a welcome addition that will help ensure that our students have access to the books they need to succeed.”

Langrock Sperry & Wool’s ties to the town of Salisbury run deep. Peter Langrock first came to Salisbury as an infant in 1938. His father worked at the Lake Dunmore Hotel in Salisbury. Peter has been a full-time resident since 1961.

Each month in 2010, LS&W will be making donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties.
February 15, 2010
Fritz Langrock On the Radio: Fritz Langrock, who is the President of the Vermont Amateur Hockey Association, was featured on Vermont Public Radio’s “Vermont Edition,” discussing the phenomenon of hockey in Vermont. Listen at http://www.vpr.net/episode/47955. And Fritz will now be a regular guest on the “Wake-Up Crew” show on radio station WVTK in Middlebury, beginning March 8 at 7:30 a.m., discussing legal issues as they affect people in their everyday lives.
January 1, 2010
LS&W Launches “50 for the 50th” with Donation to Parent/Child Center: The firm of Langrock, Sperry & Wool has begun a year-long celebration of its 50 years of service in Vermont with a series of charitable contributions known as “50 for the 50th.” Each month for the next year, LS&W will be making donations of 50 to charitable organizations throughout Chittenden and Addison counties. The first donation will enable the Addison County Parent/Child Center to distribute 50 welcome baby baskets to new parents in Addison County.

“We are heartened by the continued success of the Addison County Parent/Child Center,” said Langrock attorney Emily Joselson. “In large part due to their efforts, Addison County now has one of the lowest young adolescent pregnancy rates in the country.”

“Langrock, Sperry and Wool have been steadfast supporters for many years,” said the center co-director Susan Harding. “We have also been fortunate to have Emily Joselson as a member of our board since 1987. This gift is just another way in which Langrock has shown its ongoing commitment to our work.”

The Addison County Parent/Child Center was founded in 1980, as one of four national pilot projects of the Federal Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Today it offers a variety of support and education programs not just for adolescent parents, but for those of all ages and at-risk adolescents as well. Services include home visiting, developmental assessments and early intervention, parent education, work readiness training and early childhood and community playgroups. The P/CC also provides support to the Vermont Parent/Child Center Network, a consortium of fifteen centers across the State of Vermont based on the Addison County model.
January 1, 2010
Beth Robinson Named “Vermonter of the Year”: LS&W attorney Beth Robinson was named “Vermonter of the Year” by the Burlington Free Press in honor of her pivotal role in ensuring marriage equality for all Vermonters. Beth was nominated by many Vermonters for her amazing work on this issue, and was chosen by the Free Press as Vermont’s most influential citizen of 2009. For more information see http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201091231032.

Beth was also honored in 2009 by the National Association of Social Workers, Vermont Chapter, which named her “Public Citizen of the Year,” by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, which gave her the “David Curtis Award,” and by the national organization Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which gave her the “Spirit of Justice Award.”
November 12, 2009
Chris Davis Continues National Rugby Career: LS&W attorney Chris Davis continues his second career as a nationally recognized rugby referee. He has been reappointed as a National Panel Referee coach, teaching other referees. He is an active referee himself, including at the Northeast collegiate championships earlier this month. In April 2009 he attended the Millfield Games in Somerset England, which featured Under 17 international teams from England, Wales, France, Canada and the United States, among others. Chris was invited to attend courtesy of England’s Rugby Football Union, to work as a guest coach with the referees representing the participating countries and aspiring to become international referees.
November 1, 2009
Boys and Girls Club Names Scholarship in Honor of Mike and Martha Wool: The Boys and Girls Club of Burlington recently held an event in appreciation of LS&W attorney Michael Wool and other Board members. In recognition of his many years and outstanding service to youth, the Club surprised Michael, a long-time Club supporter, alumnus, and retiring Board member, his wife Martha by announcing that they will name a scholarship in their honor. The scholarship will be presented to one graduating Club member each year who has completed the KnowHow2GO college and career readiness program. More information is available at http://www.bandgclub.org.
October 30, 2009
Six Langrock Attorneys on Super Lawyer Lists: Six Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP attorneys have been named in the 2009 edition of New England Super Lawyers. The Super Lawyers include: Mitch Pearl (named in the field of Civil Rights/First Amendment law), Lisa Shelkrot (Criminal Defense), Christopher Davis (Family Law), David Conard (Real Estate) and Beth Robinson (Workers Compensation). Eric Knudsen was named a Rising Star in the area of real estate law. Each year, no more than 5 percent of Vermont attorneys are named Super Lawyers, and just 2.5 percent become Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Polling, research and selection are performed by Law & Politics magazine. The Super Lawyers lists has been published since 1991. The Rising Stars program was founded in 1998 and recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less.
October 19, 2009
Team Langrock Raises Funds for Breast Cancer: On a chilly and cloudy Sunday morning, members of Team Langrock arrived at Dorset Park to participate in the American Cancer Association’s Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walkathon, a five mile walk. Several team members are breast cancer survivors, or have loved ones who have been affected by the disease. Team Langrock raised just over $3,000, while the whole event raised $215,000 (and still climbing)! Team Langrock included: Corinne Deering, as Team Captain, Sandy Tillotson, Lisa Brunet and her daughter Ashley Brunet, Monica Collins and her daughter Ashley Patton, Beeb Gibeault (with John and Victoria cheering us on), Emily Joselson, Dayle Kellner, Lisa Laramee, Corinne’s sister Theresa Curtiss, and Corinne’s friend Corinne Thompson. We hope to participate next year!
October 19, 2009
Alison Bell Elected President of Housing Foundation: LS&W attorney Alison J. Bell was elected President of the Housing Foundation, Inc. HFI is a non-profit corporation that owns and manages affordable housing for elderly, disabled and low-income individuals and families in dozens of locations throughout Vermont. According to Bell, “I am honored to be able to help this organization provide affordable housing, which is a basic human right, to thousands of needy Vermonters.”
October 7, 2009
LS&W Pitches In for the United Way: Nine lawyers and staff from the Middlebury office of Langrock Sperry & Wool exchanged headsets, word processors and law books for sanders, scrapers and paint brushes, volunteering for community service through the United Way’s Days of Caring. The LS&W crew sanded and restained three porches, and scraped and painted a shed, at the Addison County Parent Child Center.
September 25, 2009
David Conard Receives VBA President’s Award: LS&W attorney David Conard received the VBA President’s Award for Outstanding Service at the 131st Annual Meeting of the Vermont Bar Association, held Friday, September 25, 2009, at the Lake Morey Resort. Conard received the award for his service on Association committees dealing with real estate specialization and the unauthorized practice of law. He also served as primary draftsman for a proposed rule governing the unauthorized practice of law in Vermont.
September 23, 2009
Joselson, McLaughlin & Swift Named to Best Lawyers: Langrock Sperry & Wool is proud to announce that three lawyers in its Middlebury office have recently been named in the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America.® Emily Joselson was honored in the areas of Environmental Law and Personal Injury Litigation, Jim Swift in the area of Personal Injury, and Devin McLaughlin in the areas of White Collar Criminal Defense and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense. They join sixteen other Langrock Sperry & Wool attorneys on the Best Lawyers list, the largest number named at any firm in Vermont.

First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive annual peer-review survey. For the new U.S. edition, more than 24,000 leading attorneys cast more than 2.8 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in the same and related practice areas.
August 31, 2009
Excessive Force Claims Settled Against Vermont State Police: The State of Vermont has paid $135,000 to Kevin Farnan of Petersburgh, New York to settle his excessive force claims against two members of the Vermont State Police, Troopers Brian Turner and Eric Howley.

LS&W attorneys Peter F. Langrock and Devin McLaughlin brought suit for Mr. Farnan in the Vermont federal district court. In the suit, Mr. Farnan claimed that the Troopers injured him with the use of excessive force, in violation of his constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Mr. Farnan claimed that on September 24, 2005, he and his wife, Linda Farnan, attended a family wedding at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont. The two state troopers along with other law enforcement officers responded to a report from Inn staff of an altercation. Upon arrival, Trooper Howley confronted Mr. Farnan about the reported altercation. When Mrs. Farnan tried to intercede, she was struck by Trooper Howley in the throat and arrested. Trooper Howley placed Mr. Farnan in handcuffs and then pepper-sprayed him. When Mr. Farnan did not cooperate with being escorted by Troopers Howley and Turner to a police cruiser, the Troopers responded with excessive force. Trooper Turner struck Mr. Farnan in the face with his fist wrapped around a metal Maglite flashlight, and Trooper Howley hit Mr. Farnan in the face with his flashlight. Mr. Farnan was then shackled and tasered by a third officer nine times. Mr. Farnan suffered serious injuries from the officers’ blows. His head injuries included a fractured sinus cavity, cheekbone, orbital bone, lacerations requiring stitches, five broken teeth and a severe concussion for which he is still treating nearly four years later.

The case was resolved favorably at court-ordered mediation, with the State of Vermont agreeing to pay $135,000 to Mr. Farnan.
August 25, 2009
Peter Langrock Attends 43rd Consecutive Uniform Law Conference: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock attended the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws for the 43rd consecutive time. As a commissioner from Vermont, Langrock works with attorneys from across the country to study and review the law of the states to determine which areas of law should be uniform. “I enjoy taking part in the efforts of this 118-year-old organization to bring clarity and stability to critical areas of the law,” said Peter.
August 19, 2009
Sarah Tischler Joins Champlain College Board: LS&W attorney Sarah Gentry Tischler has been named to the Board of Trustees of Champlain College. Sarah, who practices in the areas of estate planning, charitable giving, and the administration of estates and trusts, is excited to join the board. She noted: “Champlain’s continuing achievements here in Vermont and, literally, around the world are so impressive. The College is an educational pioneer with deep community roots and a vital member of Vermont’s economy.”
July 20, 2009
David Conard and Erin Miller Heins Author Construction Law Chapter: LS&W attorneys David Conard and Erin Miller Heins authored a chapter in the recently published 2009 Cumulative Supplement to Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law, Second Edition. The publication is the first and only in-depth state-by-state guide to the law and business of construction liens and bonds. The chapter authored by Conard and Miller Heins on Vermont covers not only the legal issues, but also provides essential instructions and unique procedures for proper filing and follow-through. Conard has been a contributing writer since the second edition was first published in 2000.
July 13, 2009
Fritz Langrock Represents Vermont at ABA House of Delegates: LS&W attorney Fritz Langrock will be one of two attorneys representing Vermont at the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates meeting in August. The House of Delegates is responsible for the control and administration of the ABA and serves as its policy-making body. Fritz also serves on the Nominating Committee for the national officers of the ABA.
June 22, 2009
LS&W Expands Burlington Office: Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP announced today an expansion of its Burlington office. The new 1,000 square foot space will be built out to include offices for three lawyers and additional staff, as well as amenities to support the firm’s growing mediation practice. Langrock’s attorney mediators assist parties in reaching negotiated resolutions to personal, business and family law disputes. Alternative dispute resolution is one of a number of diverse practice areas at the firm.

LS&W partner David Conard noted: “We expected to need this adjacent space in our building at 210 College Street eventually, but due to the firm’s growth and our expanded mediation practice we are having to expand sooner than anticipated.” The new space was designed by Scott + Partners Architects, of Essex Junction. Farrington Construction of Shelburne, known for its expertise in coordinating projects to avoid disturbing office operations, is the contractor. Construction began June 8th and will be completed by the end of August.
May 8, 2009
Emily Joselson Named as Board Secretary of the Vermont Association for Justice: LS&W attorney Emily Joselson has been named by the board of the Vermont Association for Justice (“VTAJ”) as secretary. VTAJ is a thirty-year-old association of trial attorneys dedicated to protecting the legal rights of Vermont citizens injured by the misconduct or negligence of others. Joselson’s practice for the last twenty-five years has had a similar focus on advocacy for those injured by the wrongful conduct of others. Nearly 300 trial lawyers from Vermont are members of VTAJ. VTAJ is part of the American Association for Justice, whose mission is to promote a fair and effective justice system. Joselson stated: “I am honored to join the board of VTAJ and support their mission to maintain access to our courts, and fairness in our laws, so that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.”
May 7, 2009
Shelkrot and Otero-Ziegler Present on Civil Liberties: LS&W attorneys Lisa Shelkrot and Wanda Otero-Ziegler were presenters at the fifth annual Bill of Rights 101 conference. Sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Vermont, the conference is designed to bring civil liberties issues to life for high school seniors in the St. Albans area. Lisa led a workshop on Privacy In a Wired Age, and Wanda led a workshop on Student Searches and In-School Discipline for Off-Campus Activities. Said Shelkrot: “Many of these students haven’t thought about the Bill of Rights before. We help them see that it is part of their everyday lives.” Shelkrot practices in the areas of criminal law, civil rights and litigation; Otero-Ziegler focuses on employment law, nursing home litigation and civil rights.
April 23, 2009
Peter Langrock Honored by Best Lawyers in America: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock was honored on April 23rd at the Best Lawyers 25th Anniversary Event in Atlanta. He is among 1,395 distinguished lawyers from across the country who have been continuously listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, the country’s first and pre-eminent lawyer-rating service, since its inception twenty-five years ago. In addition to founding Langrock Sperry & Wool forty-nine years ago, Peter is well-known for his extensive involvement in the community.
March 26, 2009
Beth Robinson Featured for Marriage Equality Work: LS&W attorney Beth Robinson was profiled in an article in Seven Days, the weekly newspaper, as the “driving force behind [the] movement” to achieve marriage equality for same sex couples in Vermont. The article can be found at http://www.7dvt.com/forward/emailref/29759.
March 19, 2009
Susan Murray Named “Family Lawyer of the Year” in Vermont: LS&W attorney Susan Murray has been named as the first ever “Vermont Family Lawyer of the Year.” She received this honor from Best Lawyers®, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, because her fellow attorneys in the area of family law consistently rate her at the top of the field. Murray, a graduate of Smith College and the New York University School of Law, has been with LS&W for twenty-five years. In addition to her work in the areas of family law and estate planning, she is well known for her role in the Baker v. Vermont case involving same-sex marriage and has an active practice in gay and lesbian family law. Murray lives in Ferrisburgh.
March 19, 2009
15 Langrock Attorneys Make Best Lawyers List: Fifteen partners at Langrock, Sperry & Wool, LLP have been named “Best Lawyers” in Vermont in one or more areas of law. They received these honors from Best Lawyers®, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. As a firm, LS&W ranks first in Vermont in Family Law, with three attorneys appearing on the list, and first in Real Estate Law with four attorneys listed. LS&W attorneys were also recognized in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Elder Law, First Amendment Law, Labor and Employment Law, White-Collar and Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense, Personal Injury Litigation and Workers Compensation Law. Those recognized include F. Rendol Barlow, Alison J. Bell, Thomas Z. Carlson, David W. M. Conard, Christopher L. Davis, Ellen Mercer Fallon, Eric M. Knudsen, Peter F. Langrock, William B. Miller, Jr., Susan M. Murray, Mitchell L. Pearl, Beth Robinson, Lisa B. Shelkrot, Thomas J. Sherrer, and Mark L. Sperry.
January 1, 2009
Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP Names Two New Partners: Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP has named two lawyers, Wanda Otero-Ziegler and Erin Miller Heins, to the partnership. “We pride ourselves on our firm’s ability to solve any kind of legal problem our clients may have,” explained Jim Swift, the firm’s managing partner. “Erin and Wanda add to the depth of our legal talent, and our diverse range of practice areas.” With twenty-six lawyers and offices in Burlington and Middlebury, the firm is one of the largest in the state.

Erin Miller Heins joined Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP in 2005 after practicing for four years as a commercial litigation associate at a large New York City law firm. Since coming to Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP, Erin has developed a general litigation practice, including commercial, contract and construction cases for business clients, as well as family law, civil rights and personal injury matters for individuals.

Wanda Otero-Ziegler joined the firm in 2005 after clerking for the Hon. James T. Giles, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and then practicing for two years at another Vermont law firm. She has an active general litigation practice with a special emphasis on employment law and appellate work in state and federal courts. Wanda currently serves on the Board of the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
August 25, 2008
Beth Robinson Serves as Delegate to Democratic National Convention: LS&W attorney Beth Robinson traveled to Denver to attend the Democratic National Convention as a delegate from Vermont. She is enjoying front row seats, courtesy of DNC Chair and former Vermont governor, Howard Dean.
August 8, 2008
Judge Finds Officer Seized Money in Violation of Constitution in Civil Rights Case Tried by Lisa Shelkrot and Erin Miller Heins.: In an Opinion and Order dated August 7, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions, III ruled that a South Burlington police officer seized money in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Download File (PDF)
August 7, 2008
Fritz Langrock Represents Vermont at ABA Meeting: LS&W attorney Fritz Langrock attended his first Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in New York as Vermont’s State Delegate to the House of Delegates. LS&W attorneys Peter Langrock and Ellen Mercer Fallon have previously served Vermont in this capacity for the past twenty-five years.
July 9, 2008
Peter and Fritz Langrock Successfully Appeal Condemnation Case: LS&W attorneys Peter Langrock and Fritz Langrock brought an appeal of a highway condemnation award in Bennington County, in which the client had already been awarded $100,000. The jury brought back a verdict of $229,016.
June 30, 2008
Tom Carlson Completes Harvard Mediation Training: LS&W attorney Tom Carlson recently completed the June 2008 Mediation Workshop at Harvard Law School, joining mediators from all over the world in a week of seminars and simulations directed to improving their mediation skills in a variety of settings. Tom looks forward to continuing his mediation practice in complex family, business and professional disputes.
June 11, 2008
Langrock Art Show Raises Funds: Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP sponsored a reception for a show of Peter Langrock’s paintings. Twenty-five paintings were exhibited and ten were sold, raising more than $2,500 for the Ilsley Library in Middlebury.
May 30, 2008
Kevin Brown Receives VTLA Award: LS&W attorney Kevin Brown was awarded the Martha Woodman Consumer Advocacy Award for 2008 by the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association. VTLA President Sheila Ware noted that the “honor is reserved for individuals who have expended an exceptional effort to advance the Association’s mission and goals,” and was awarded to Kevin for his “significant contribution of time and effort in preparing VTLA’s amicus curiae brief in Jensen v. Cashin.” The issues raised in that case related to the availability of punitive damages under Vermont’s Wrongful Death Act.
May 25, 2008
Eric Knudsen Finishes Second Marathon: LS&W attorney Eric Knudsen finished his second Vermont City Marathon, in a personal best time of three hours, forty-four minutes. He plans to keep trying to better his time.
March 28, 2008
LS&W and Tom Carlson Nominated for VBA Pro Bono Award: LS&W attorney Tom Carlson was one of the nominees for the annual Pro Bono Award bestowed by the Vermont Bar Association, in recognition of his work on the Access to Justice Fund of the Vermont Bar Foundation. LS&W as a whole was also nominated for the same award, the only law firm to be so recognized, based upon its longstanding and ongoing commitment to pro bono work.
February 15, 2008
LS&W Makes Major Contribution to Access to Justice Fund: The Access to Justice Fund is a campaign of the Vermont Bar Foundation to raise at least $100,000 to support the hiring of two of “the best and the brightest” young attorneys to join Vermont Legal Aid in providing critical legal services to low income Vermonters. Many other states have similar annual fundraising campaigns to support legal services programs; this is Vermont’s first. Langrock, Sperry & Wool has joined at least two other law firms in making major contributions to the campaign to get it launched.

The campaign has been launched in parallel with another campaign to get Vermont banks to pay competitive interest rates on client trust account funds known as IOLTA accounts, since the interest earnings on those accounts also fund legal services. Total IOLTA deposits in Vermont are on the order of ninety million dollars, but interest rates average only around 1%. Comparable accounts have yielded between 2 and 3% for years. An increase in the average interest rate to 2% would yield another $900,000 for legal services programs in Vermont. LS&W Partner Tom Carlson has been active in both campaigns.
February 12, 2008
Lisa Laramee Presents on Probate Process for Paralegals: LS&W paralegal Lisa Laramee was a presenter at a seminar entitled “The Probate Process From Start to Finish for Paralegals.” Lisa has worked as a paralegal with a primary focus in the areas of estate planning and probate administration for ten years. She is the secretary of the Vermont Paralegal Organization and chair of that group’s pro bono committee.
February 9, 2008
Peter Langrock Acts as Judge: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock was a judge in the Regional Finals of the Client Counseling Competition held at the Vermont Law School on February 9, 2008. He has also been invited, once again, to participate as a guest arbitrator in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna from March 14-20, 2008. It is expected there will be 180 law schools from over fifty countries participating.
February 8, 2008
Kevin Brown Named Chair of ZBA: LS&W attorney Kevin Brown has been named acting chair of the Bristol Zoning Board of Adjustment. He will serve until the chair returns from his deployment with the Vermont National Guard.
February 1, 2008
David Conard To Serve on VBA Committees and VYCC Board: Having recently wrapped up service on the Vermont Bar Association committee studying real estate specialization certification, LS&W attorney David Conard was recently appointed to serve on a VBA committee studying issues related to the unauthorized practice of law. He was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
January 30, 2008
Sarah Tischler Speaks on Conservation Easements: LS&W attorney Sarah Gentry Tischler spoke on the income tax and estate tax aspects of Conservation Easements as part of a panel presenting “Conservation Easements and More in Vermont.”
January 26, 2008
LS&W Staff Participates in Mothers Across Borders: LS&W staff members Karen James and Lise Fifield participated in the Mothers Across Borders project making t-shirt dresses to be sent to third world countries. They made 137 dresses during the January 26 sew-a-thon, which will be sent to Zambia, Africa.
January 1, 2008
LS&W Continues Growth: Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP has announced the recent addition of two new partners and a new associate. “Our state-wide practice continues to expand,” said managing partner Jim Swift, “and this means we had a need for additional lawyers at both junior and more experienced levels. We are proud of the depth of our legal talent at all levels of experience within the firm, and we believe that this factor, plus our team-oriented approach, serves our clients well. We also enjoy working alongside smaller firms and sole practitioners who ask us to co-counsel in serious or complex cases.” At twenty-six lawyers, with offices in Burlington and Middlebury, the firm is one of the largest in the state.

Thomas J. Sherrer

Tom Sherrer became of counsel to the firm in October 2005, after having practiced law in Burlington for the past twenty years, and is now a partner. He began his legal career with Latham, Eastman, Schweyer & Tetzlaff and for eight years had his own firm, Thomas J. Sherrer, P.C. A native Vermonter, he is a graduate of the University of Vermont and received his law degree from the Southwestern University School of Law.

Tom’s practice focuses primarily on representing injured parties in medical malpractice, products liability, wrongful death, and recreational injury cases. He also represents defendants in white-collar criminal defense cases. Tom has been recognized as a leading personal injury lawyer in The Best Lawyers in America®. Tom has also been elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; membership in The Fellows is limited to one-third of one percent of lawyers in America.

An active member of associations within the legal profession, Tom has served as a State Delegate to, and is on the Board of Governors of, the American Association for Justice. He is also a past president and member of Board of Governors of the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association, member of the Board of Managers of the Vermont Bar Association, member of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Criminal Defense Association, and past president of the Chittenden County Bar Association.

Sarah Gentry Tischler

Sarah Tischler became of counsel to the firm in November 2006, and is now a partner. Sarah’s practice is dedicated to estate planning, charitable giving, and the administration of estates and trusts, with a particular focus on long-term succession planning for family and forest lands. She speaks frequently on these subjects to and on behalf of local community groups and non-profit organizations, as well as state-wide in professional continuing education seminars.

Sarah began her legal career in 1987 at Hemenway & Barnes in Boston, Massachusetts, where she developed her focus in estate planning. She returned to her hometown of St. George, Vermont in 1991, and continued her estate planning work with Dinse, Erdmann & Clapp in Burlington. In 1996, she opened her own firm, Sarah Gentry Tischler, P.C., and practiced for the last six years in Williston.

Active in the community, Sarah currently serves as a director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, and has served as St. George Town Meeting moderator since 2003. She is an engaged parent volunteer with Circus Smirkus, Lyric Theatre, and her children’s schools, and has volunteered in a variety of ways for a number of area non-profit organizations, including hands-on service, board directorships, and membership on planned giving, endowment, and capital campaign committees.

Hobart F. Popick

Hobart Popick joined the firm in 2007 after practicing for four years in a large Boston firm, where he focused on commercial and employment litigation. A native of the Middlebury area, Hobart continues to focus on litigation at Langrock Sperry & Wool, including representation of corporate and individual clients in business and employment litigation, as well as representation of individuals in employment, civil litigation and family matters.

Prior to attending law school, Hobart worked in the mutual fund industry in Boston and also as a facilitator for professional foreign exchange programs on behalf of the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C.
December 30, 2007
Twelve Langrock Sperry & Wool Attorneys Named as Best Lawyers in America: Twelve LS&W lawyers have been named in the 2007-08 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The Best Lawyers in America® is considered the pre-eminent guide to the legal profession in the United States. The Best Lawyers lists are compiled through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the top lawyers in the United States evaluate their peers confidentially.

The twelve LS&W attorneys named, and the categories in which they are named, are: Peter Langrock (Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense, First Amendment Law, Personal Injury Litigation); Bill Miller (Commercial Litigation and Elder Law); Ellen Fallon (Labor and Employment Law); Chris Davis (Family Law); Susan Murray (Family Law); Beth Robinson (Family Law and Workers Compensation); Lisa Shelkrot (Criminal Defense and White Collar Criminal Defense); Tom Sherrer (Personal Injury Litigation); Mitchell Pearl (First Amendment Law) Mark Sperry (Real Estate); David Conard (Real Estate Law); and Eric M. Knudsen (Real Estate Law). Full listings are available at http://www.bestlawyers.com.

Managing partner Jim Swift stated: “We are pleased to have twelve of our attorneys recognized for their outstanding expertise. To have almost half of our twenty-six lawyers named among the best lawyers in America is a real achievement for the firm.”
December 15, 2007
Corinne Deering Active in Vermont Paralegal Organization: Corinne Deering, one of LS&W’s PACE Registered Paralegals, was recently appointed by the Vermont Paralegal Organization Board of Directors as the PACE Coordinator for the State of Vermont. Corinne’s goal as PACE Coordinator is to provide information and support to VPO members who are interested in taking the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE). She was also involved with the VPO Website Committee, charged with updating and revising the Vermont Paralegal Organization’s website. That new website (featuring two of LS&W’s paralegals) is now up and running at http://www.vtparalegal.org.
December 4, 2007
Ellen Fallon on Board of Vermont Business Roundtable: LS&W attorney Ellen Fallon will serve another term on the board of directors of the Vermont Business Roundtable. Ellen was quoted in the Roundtable’s newsletter: “The organization is truly – not just theoretically – a “roundtable” of Vermont CEOs and I return from every meeting stimulated and better informed. Participation in the Roundtable exposes me to some of the best minds in the state and challenges me to expand my thinking beyond my own organization.” More information is available at http://www.vtroundtable.org..
December 1, 2007
LS&W Attorneys Named New England “Super Lawyers”: LS&W attorneys were named as New England “Super Lawyers” by Super Lawyers magazine. Super Lawyers uses a multi-step evaluation process incorporating both peer review and objective research “to develop a diverse and comprehensive listing of outstanding lawyers.” The LS&W attorneys named were: Lisa Shelkrot in the field of criminal defense; Beth Robinson for workers’ compensation; Peter Langrock and Mitch Pearl in the area of First Amendment issues; David Conard in real estate; and Chris Davis in family law. Chris was also featured in a two-page spread, in which he described his philosophy: “People look to the court to be vindicated – they want someone to say their spouse was wrong and they were right. But that’s not the role of the court, and that’s not the role of the family law attorney. … People need to understand that going to court is analogous to having an operation. It’s stressful both emotionally and financially, and it should be the last form of treatment.” The complete listings are available at http://www.superlawyers.com..
November 1, 2007
Boys and Girls Club Selected for Prestigious Award: LS&W is pleased to announce that the New England Board of Higher Education (NEHBE) has chosen the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington as the recipient of its 2008 Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Achievement. Each year NEBHE honors one program through its annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards.

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) launched the New England Higher Education Excellence Awards in 2003 to recognize individuals and institutions that have made substantive contributions to improving higher education opportunities for New England students. NEBHE’s mission is to promote greater educational opportunity for residents of New England at the region’s 270 public and independent colleges and universities. Individuals and organizations nominated during the selection process that begins in the fall exemplify NEBHE’s mission through their accomplishments.

The Boys and Girls Club received the award for its KnowHow2Go Program, a unique college readiness program for underprivileged youth. The Club was selected for the award over forty-seven other programs. LS&W partner Michael Wool serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club and was instrumental both in creating the KnowHow2Go Program, and in securing this prestigious honor from NEBHE.
November 1, 2007
LS&W Client Named One of 200 Best Small Companies in USA: Espey Manufacturing and Electronics Corp., a long-time client of LS&W, has just been named one of the “Two Hundred Best Small Companies” in the United States by Forbes. For more information, visit http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/23/biz_07200best_Espey-Manufacturing-Electronics_BVXV.html
October 1, 2007
Betsy Laflame Wins Ironman Triathlon World Championships: LS&W paralegal and “world-famous” triathlete Betsy LaFlame won her age group at the Ironman World Championships, held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on October 3. The Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2 mile marathon run. Betsy’s overall time was 12:28.14, placing her first in her age group (women 55-59 years old). You can watch Betsy finish the race at http://www.ironmanlive.com. Following her win, Betsy relaxed on “vacation” by traveling to New Orleans to help build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Not only do we have the most qualified staff around, we have the fastest and most dedicated!
October 1, 2007
Sarah DeGray’s Work on Hip Hop Published: The work of LS&W legal assistant Sarah DeGray has recently appeared in the book Authentic Artifice: Cultures of the Real, published by the European Studies Research Institute, copyright 2007. Sarah wrote Chapter 9, which is entitled “Hip Hop and Authenticity: Navigating the Semiological, Ideological and Commercial Functions of Authenticity in Rap Music and Culture.” We always say we have the most highly qualified staff around, and this proves it!
September 1, 2007
LS&W and Michael Wool Make Challenge Grant to Boys and Girls Club: LS&W, along with partner Michael Wool and his wife Martha Wool, have made a challenge grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington. If the Board of the Club meets certain fundraising goals by December 2007, then LS&W and the Wools will give an additional $5,000 to this worthy organization. The Boys and Girls Club serves more than 2,000 children in the Burlington area, providing valuable programs and a safe place for kids to go. For more information, visit http://www.bandgclub.org
September 1, 2007
Sarah DeGray Stars in Musical: LS&W legal assistant Sarah DeGray starred in the role of Crystal, one of the “Doo-Wop Girls” in the Stowe Theatre Guild production of Little Shop of Horrors, which played to rave reviews in September and October. Sarah was singled out in those reviews for her “energy” and “adept” singing and dancing. This represented Sarah’s debut on the Stowe stage, but she is a veteran performer.
August 1, 2007
Langrock Named New State Delegate to ABA: LS&W attorney Fritz Langrock became the new Vermont State Delegate to the American Bar Association at the annual meeting of the association in August. When not practicing law, Fritz also serves as the president of the Vermont State Amateur Hockey Association.
July 1, 2007
Summary of Vermont Employment Law Featured on Meritas Website: LS&W attorneys Wanda Otero-Ziegler and Ellen Mercer Fallon recently prepared a review of Vermont employment law included in a nationwide summary prepared by Meritas Law Firms Worldwide for the Association of Corporate Counsel. The employment law review, which is also featured on the Meritas Labor & Employment Section’s website at http://www.meritas.org, covers hiring, discrimination, leaves, discipline and discharge, employee handbooks, non-compete agreements, posting requirements, and related issues.
July 1, 2007
LS&W Sponsors Cystic Fibrosis Benefit: LS&W was a sponsor of a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, called the “Three Day Stampede,” consisting of a huge flea market, a bake sale, a chicken BBQ, a walk-a-thon, a 5K run, and a silent auction. LS&W paralegal Michelle Perlee and her family helped organize the Stampede. Last year this event raised $92,000 for the Foundation.
July 1, 2007
LS&W Scores Two Wins in Vermont Supreme Court: In a case of first impression, the Vermont Supreme Court recently affirmed a decision finding full insurance coverage for the fire loss of a vacant restaurant. LS&W attorney Kevin Brown argued the case, named DeBartolo v. Lloyd’s of London.

In Braun v. Greenblatt, LS&W attorneys Susan Murray and Erin Miller Heins obtained a reversal of a family court post-judgment modification order that tripled their client’s monthly spousal maintenance obligation and extended its duration indefinitely.
June 1, 2007
Peter Langrock Featured on Cover of Business People: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock was the subject of the cover story in the June 2007 edition of Business People. The story described Peter as a “Renaissance man,” who views the law as “the highest calling.” Peter emphasized that LS&W is a “balanced law firm,” encouraging its lawyers to strike a balance among the practice of law, family life, and service to the community. Peter outlined the two principles that guide LS&W – make a substantial contribution to the public good, and “never turn down a case that’s fun.” The article also described some of the landmark cases that Peter and the firm have been involved with over the years. The full article is available at www.vermontguides.com.
June 1, 2007
LS&W Well-Represented in KeyBank Vermont City Marathon: LS&W attorney Eric Knudsen, and staff members Michelle Perlee and Sarah DeGray, each ran and finished the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon. Eric finished his first marathon in under four hours, and Michelle and Sarah both had personal bests.
April 1, 2007
Davis and Heins Obtain Successful Result in Foreclosure Appeal: LS&W attorneys Chris Davis and Erin Miller Heins were successful in an unusual foreclosure appeal. The Supreme Court affirmed the Superior Court’s summary judgment decision that LS&W’s client UPS Capital, a mortgagee on foreclosed property, did not breach any contract with a purchaser of the property by noticing a second foreclosure sale before the first sale was confirmed by the court. The Supreme Court found that there were good faith reasons for the mortgagee’s actions and also affirmed the Superior Court’s decision that UPS Capital was entitled to summary judgment on Catamount’s claims for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing and violation of the consumer fraud act due to insufficient evidence of bad faith, misrepresentations, or deceptive acts on the part of UPS Capital.
March 1, 2007
Betsy Laflame Qualifies for Ironman: LS&W paralegal Betsy Laflame won her age group in the 70.3 California Half Ironman and thereby qualified to go to the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in October. She and her partner also have a new yellow lab puppy, 3 months old, named Kili (after Kilimanjaro) which they summitted in January 2006.
March 1, 2007
Devin McLaughlin and Mitch Pearl Elected: LS&W attorney Devin McLaughlin was elected to Addison Union District #3 School Board, as a representative from Middlebury. The Board oversees the middle school and high school. Devin also continues to coach hockey for the several Middlebury youth hockey teams.

LS&W attorney Mitch Pearl was elected to the Select Board for the Town of Brandon.
March 1, 2007
Joselson Publishes Article on Medical Expenses: LS&W attorney Emily Joselson wrote an article entitled “Plaintiffs Should Be Entitled to Recover the Full Value of Their Medical Expenses, Despite Lower Medicaid Reimbursement Rates,” which was published in the March 2007 edition of the VTLA Report, the journal of the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association.
March 1, 2007
Ellen Fallon Featured in Vermont Woman: LS&W attorney Ellen Mercer Fallon was featured, along with other female members of board of directors of the Vermont Business Roundtable, in the March 2007 issue of Vermont Woman, in an article entitled “Women of the Roundtable: A Quest for Sustaining Vermont’s Vitality.” In the article, Fallon noted that she has been balancing work and family during her legal career over the past 30 years. “I have a spouse and one child,” she said. “When I first began working, only women had this balancing issue. Now many of my male colleagues struggle with the same issue.”

Fallon said she began her career at a time where there were very few women practicing law. “There were no women trial judges in Vermont when I began. No women on the Vermont Supreme Court or on the U.S. Supreme Court,” she said. “I had no women lawyer mentors in my firm at all. There were few senior women in the profession at the time.”

“I think some – but not all - of the women who chose to go into law and medicine 30 years ago had an interest both in the profession and in being a trailblazer,” she added.

Now there is a dramatic change for women entering the profession, with a substantial number of women trial judges and lawyers, and with women on both the Vermont and U.S. Supreme Courts, she said. Women today have mentors at all levels.

As Fallon also noted, the prevailing view used to be that having a family was incompatible with being truly serious about a legal job. “This is no longer the case,” she said. “In 1984, when I had my child, I only took three months’ leave and as a partner I could have taken as much time as I needed. But I felt great pressure to get back to full time quickly.” Now the expectation that people, men and women, will take some additional time is mainstream. This has made a huge difference in integrating women into the workforce, she said.

As for the Vermont Business Roundtable, Fallon said, “Integration of women into the membership is a reflection of women’s integration into their respective business and professional worlds.”
March 1, 2007
Mike Wool Re-appointed to New England Board of Higher Education: LS&W attorney Mike Wool was re-appointed by Governor Jim Douglas to the New England Board of Higher Education for another six-year term. Mike’s focus while on the NEBHE has been on the development, in collaboration with the Burlington Boys & Girls Club, of a model college readiness program for kids at the Club and, eventually, for kids at other Boys & Girls Clubs around the country.
February 1, 2007
Wool and Knudsen Attend Tax Seminar: LS&W attorneys Mike Wool and Eric Knudsen recently attended the University of Southern California Tax Institute in Los Angeles. In addition to updating their tax law knowledge, they introduced some East Coast basketball to the Los Angeles YMCA noon hoopsters.
January 1, 2007
Sarah Gentry Tischler Joins LS&W: Langrock Sperry & Wool is pleased to announce that Sarah Gentry Tischler has joined the firm of counsel in the Burlington office. Sarah’s practice is dedicated to estate planning, charitable giving, and the administration of estates and trusts, with a particular focus on long-term succession planning for family and forest lands. She speaks frequently on these subjects to and on behalf of local community groups and non-profit organizations, as well as state-wide in professional continuing education seminars.

Sarah began her legal career in 1987 at Hemenway & Barnes in Boston, Massachusetts, where she developed her focus in estate planning. She returned to her hometown of St. George, Vermont in 1991, and continued her estate planning work with Dinse, Erdmann & Clapp in Burlington. In 1996, she opened her own firm, Sarah Gentry Tischler, P.C., and practiced for the last six years in Williston.

Active in the community, Sarah has volunteered in a variety of ways for the Town of St. George, for schools in the Chittenden South Supervisory Union, and for a number of area non-profit organizations, including hands-on service, board directorships, and membership on planned giving, endowment, and capital campaign committees.

“The estate planning field is experiencing tremendous growth, and we are pleased to be able to expand our ability to serve our clients in this area,” said partner Jim Swift. At twenty-six lawyers, the firm is one of the largest in the state.
January 1, 2007
Conard and Heins Publish On Lien Law: LS&W attorneys David Conard and Erin Miller Heins are the co-authors of the Vermont chapter in “Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law, Second Edition,” published by Aspen.
January 1, 2007
Robinson and Murray Author Chapter on Same Sex Marriage: LS&W attorneys Beth Robinson and Susan Murray have authored a chapter included in a three volume anthology called “Defending Same-Sex Marriage,” published by Praeger. The chapter is entitled “Laying the Groundwork: Early Organizing in Vermont,” describes the genesis of the freedom to marry movement in Vermont, beginning in the mid-1990s, and chronicles the grassroots organizing, public education, and political groundwork laid in preparation for in the groundbreaking case Baker v. State of Vermont, in which the Vermont Supreme Court recognized the constitutional right of same-sex couples to the benefits and protections of civil marriage.
December 1, 2006
Langrock Speaks on the Law of Transbeman Persons: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock spoke on “Uniform Laws – Determination of Death Act” at the Second Annual Colloquium on the Law of Transbeman Persons. The conference explored the merging of humans and computers.
December 1, 2006
Langrock to Participate in Rule 56 Conference: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock has been invited by the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules of the Judicial Conference of the United States to participate in a conference considering proposed revisions to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 regarding summary judgment.
November 1, 2006
Joselson Now President of Teen Center Group: LS&W attorney Emily Joselson has been elected President of Addison Central Teens & Friends, Inc., a nonprofit working to establish a staffed and sustainable teen center in Middlebury, serving the teens of Middlebury, Bridport, Cornwall, Salisbury, Shoreham, Ripton and Weybridge.
October 1, 2006
Langrock Speaks on Cooperatives: LS&W attorney Peter Langrock has been invited to speak at The Vermont Cooperative Summit in connection with his work as Chair of the Uniform Cooperative Association Act.
October 1, 2006
Sherrer Named to Board of Governors and Med Mal Commission: LS&W attorney Tom Sherrer was named to the Board of Governors of the American Trial Lawyers Association. Tom was also appointed a member of the Legislative Commission on Medical Malpractice Issues in Vermont. He co-authored the commission’s report, which is available at www.bishca.state.vt.us/InsurDiv/medmal_studygroup/index_medmal_main.htm
October 1, 2006
Conard Named to Study Committee: LS&W attorney David Conard was named by the Vermont Bar Association to serve on its Study Committee on Real Estate Specialty Certification, which will make recommendations regarding whether there should be a specialty certification in real estate law.
September 1, 2006
Eleven Langrock Sperry & Wool Attorneys Named as Best Lawyers in America: Eleven LS&W lawyers have been named in the 2006-07 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The Best Lawyers in America® is considered the pre-eminent guide to the legal profession in the United States. The Best Lawyers lists are compiled through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the top lawyers in the United States evaluate their peers confidentially.

The eleven LS&W attorneys named, and the categories in which they are named, are: Peter Langrock (Business Litigation, Criminal Defense, First Amendment Law, Personal Injury Litigation); Mark Sperry (Real Estate); Ellen Fallon (Labor and Employment Law); Bill Miller (Business Litigation); Chris Davis (Family Law); David Conard (Real Estate Law); Tom Sherrer (Personal Injury Litigation); Susan Murray (Family Law); Beth Robinson (Family Law and Workers Compensation); Lisa Shelkrot (Criminal Defense and White Collar Criminal Defense); Mitchell Pearl (First Amendment Law).

Managing partner Jim Swift stated: “We are pleased to have eleven of our attorneys recognized for their outstanding expertise. To have almost half of our twenty-six lawyers named among the best lawyers in America is a real achievement for the firm.”
August 1, 2006
Knudsen Named to Development Review Board: LS&W attorney Eric Knudsen has been appointed a member of the South Burlington Development Review Board by the South Burlington City Council. Knudsen’s practice focuses on real estate and development issues.
August 1, 2006
Bell Edits Chapter on Employment Law: LS&W attorney Alison Bell edited the chapter on employment law contained in the “Vermont Guide to Health Care Law” published by the Vermont Medical Society for its health care provider members. The Guide is available on-line at www.vtmd.org
July 1, 2006
Shelkrot Named “Best of U.S.”: LS&W attorney Lisa Shelkrot has been selected as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the United States by The Best of the U. S. LLC. Shelkrot is one of 14,268 lawyers chosen from the 760,369 actively practicing lawyers in the United States to be listed on www.bestofus.com. The Best of the U. S. LLC is an independent firm that reviews the credentials of practitioners in fourteen professions to determine the “Best of Class” in each. Their selection process is based on identifying those professionals who have continued their education, provide leadership in their industry, and have been recognized by their peers, their industry and their community as the best. Over 68,000 doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, dentists, physical therapists, chiropractors, real estate agents and tax professionals are currently listed on www.bestofus.com.
June 1, 2006
LS&W Scores Victory in United States Supreme Court: In a landmark victory for freedom of speech, the United States Supreme Court held in Randall v. Sorrell that the First Amendment protects political candidates’ right to manage their campaigns free of overburdening state regulation. The Court struck down Vermont’s Act 64, which imposed first-in-the-nation spending limits on candidates and the lowest contribution limits in the nation. Plaintiffs, represented by LS&W attorneys and others, argued that Vermont’s law crippled candidates’ ability to communicate with voters.

Counsel for plaintiffs welcomed the decision. LS&W attorney Mitchell Pearl declared, “Participation in democracy means that the people can speak to their elected representatives and expect an answer. Act 64 muffled this conversation. It gave the State—not the candidate or her constituents—the right to decide how much and what kind of communication is necessary. Today’s decision puts the political process back where it belongs: in the hands of Vermonters.”

Act 64 was signed into law in 1997 but has never gone completely into effect. The law would have severely limited both campaign contributions and expenditures, and for the first time created a class of “related expenditures”—independent spending by third-parties—which would count against a candidate’s contribution and spending limits. In 1999, candidates from the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties joined the ACLU, campaign contributors, political parties, and political action committees to challenge the law as a clear violation of constitutional principles.

“In a political campaign, you cannot separate money from speech. Even a grass-roots candidate who goes door to door talking to town residents needs to spend money for gas,” asserted LS&W attorney Peter Langrock. “Act 64 restricted a candidate for the Vermont House to spending a total of $2,000 in a two-year election cycle. You cannot assume that that is enough to run a viable campaign. $2,000 will buy a few lawn signs and fliers, and perhaps one radio ad. After that, the candidate is finished. If she’s spent her money, she can’t even go speak on the town green—unless she can bike there.”

Plaintiffs pointed to a number of factors that increased the law’s detrimental effect. Candidates had to comply with the same limits whether or not they faced a primary, and the limits are the same in both highly contested and unopposed races. Moreover, the legislature established the limits based on a historical average of spending in all campaigns—which included a number of uncontested races in which candidates spent little or nothing But a candidate facing a hotly contested primary and general election, during a vigorous debate on important and complex issues, must often spend more.

“This one-size-fits all approach turned the law into a straight-jacket,” argued Pearl. “The most contested elections in Vermont, with the greatest debate and the highest degree of public participation, are ones in which substantial amounts of money are spent. Look at the 2000 elections, with the Take Back Vermont campaign. Real, substantive discussion took place about the direction the State should take regarding same-sex relationships. And spending went through the roof. What would have happened if Act 64 had still been in effect? The people and the media would have spoken, but candidates could not have answered.”

The Act’s restrictions are particularly troubling since the State failed to present substantial evidence demonstrating real corruption in Vermont. “This bill used a sledgehammer to fix a bent nail,” Langrock stated. “There is no record of public corruption in Vermont on the scale that the State suggested. Our representatives are accessible to their constituents—they’re at the local grocery or coffee shop. Even the Governor still comes to town meeting, and his wife works as a dental hygienist in Middlebury.”
June 1, 2006
Fallon and Otero-Ziegler Speak on Employment Issues: LS&W attorneys Ellen Mercer Fallon and Wanda Otero-Ziegler gave a presentation to supervisory employees at Bennington College on Lawful Employment Interviewing and Hiring. LS&W attorneys speak frequently on employment issues to lawyers and non-lawyers alike.
June 1, 2006
Robinson to Teach at Dartmouth: LS&W attorney Beth Robinson will teach a course at Dartmouth College this summer titled “Sexuality, Identity, and the Law.”
June 1, 2006
Pearl Announces Candidacy For Brandon And Forestdale House Seat: LS&W attorney Mitchell Pearl announced his candidacy for Vermont House of Representatives, Brandon, Rutland 7. Mitch will run as a Democrat. “I am running for State Representative because I think Brandon needs to find a new voice. I come to this challenge without a partisan agenda. I look forward to being an honest and independent voice for Brandon and Forestdale. I will work for practical solutions to the problems we face as a state and community. I will continue to work to improve our schools and to make healthcare affordable for more Vermonters.”

In addition to serving on the Neshobe School Board, Mitch helped to found the Brandon Children’s Music Fund and served on the Board of Directors of the Safer Society Foundation. He has provided pro bono legal services for a number of community organizations and currently serves as the Vice President of the Friends of the Brandon Town Hall.
March 1, 2006
Beth Robinson Speaks on Roe v. Wade: LS&W Beth Robinson spoke recently about constitutional issues surrounding Roe v. Wade at a conference at Vermont Law School called “Reproducing Women’s Rights.”
February 1, 2006
Campaign Finance Case Argued in U.S. Supreme Court: The United States Supreme Court heard oral argument in the case of Randall v. Sorrell, a constitutional challenge to Vermont’s strict limits on campaign spending and contributions. The case was brought by LS&W attorneys Peter Langrock and Mitch Pearl, as cooperating counsel with the Vermont Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
January 1, 2006
Briefs Filed in United States Supreme Court: The United States Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Vermont’s strict limits on campaign spending and contributions are constitutional, in a case brought by LS&W attorneys Peter Langrock and Mitch Pearl, as cooperating counsel with the Vermont Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Briefs were recently filed, and oral argument is scheduled for February 28, 2006. Peter will be speaking to the constitutional law classes at Vermont Law School regarding the campaign finance case in early February.
January 1, 2006
Alison Bell Named to Professional Responsibility Hearing Panel: LS&W attorney has Alison Bell has been named to a hearing panel of the Professional Responsibility Board. The hearing panels decide claims of professional misconduct made against attorneys and determine sanctions. Alison will serve as the chair for a two-year term.
January 1, 2006
LS&W and Client Make Significant Donation to Porter Hospital: A joint contribution of $26,000 from Mr. Harry Brakeley and the law firm of Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP has been given to Porter Hospital in Middlebury, in memory of Elizabeth “Libby” Brakeley. The contribution has been designated in support of one of the four new “Birthing Rooms” now under construction as part of the Porter Hospital “North Project.”

Elizabeth Brakeley died in a tragic automobile accident in 2002 while visiting family here in Addison County. Following her death, her family worked with representatives of Porter Medical Center to design and build “Libby’s Trail”—a handicapped accessible nature trail adjacent to Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. According to PMC President, James L. Daily, this trail has been a resource to nursing home residents, as well as all Porter staff and visitors, since the fall of 2003.

“We remain deeply grateful to the Brakeley family for the original donation in memory of Libby that has created a unique, valuable and much used resource for our residents, their families, and our Porter staff,” Daily said. “This additional donation from Hap Brakeley and the firm of Langrock Sperry & Wool also will benefit our community and the families who use our new Birthing Center.”

The Birthing Center, now under construction, will provide a home-like environment for local families who wish to have their baby within a hospital setting but in a less “hospital-like” setting. The new facility will be opened in early 2007.