LOQUITUR 38 Barnum Photography
CLASS NOTES NOTES FROM THE VERMONT LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION This issue <strong>of</strong> Loquitur, examining criminal law, <strong>justice</strong>, and guns, highlights issues and concerns that deeply resonate with many alumni. By reaching out to the entire Vermont Law School community, we all benefit from learning more about the work and commitments that motivate our peers and former classmates. The new school year provides an occasion to look back on the recent efforts <strong>of</strong> the Vermont Law School Alumni Association. This winter and spring, the VLSAA advised the VLS trustees and the administration during the development <strong>of</strong> the 2016 Strategic Plan, unveiled this summer. The Strategic Plan sharpens the school’s focus on its aspirations, readies current students for the modern pr<strong>of</strong>ession, and invests in the commitment to the faculty and community. The VLSAA counseled the school on alumni priorities, particularly bar passage, the alumni debt load, and job placement—with a specific emphasis on increasing overall resources, and dedicating more resources to Master’s students. <strong>In</strong> addition to developing a thoughtful strategy, the administration and trustees have identified tactics to achieve the goals during the coming years. VLS will build on its strengths and continue to make alumni proud. June marked the annual reunion and homecoming. During a sunny weekend in South Royalton, 40 years <strong>of</strong> alumni convened to celebrate the law school and to consider the greater ideals for which the school stands. Alumni speakers and panelists described their personal and pr<strong>of</strong>essional experiences serving the law and bettering their communities and their worlds, from small towns in Vermont to the corridors <strong>of</strong> Washington, D.C., to farther-flung corners <strong>of</strong> Europe and Africa. The reunion also provided an opportunity to honor the remarkable accomplishments <strong>of</strong> several alumni whose impact on the VLS community and in the field <strong>of</strong> human rights, deserved special recognition. The Office for <strong>In</strong>stitutional Advancement yet again surpassed itself in planning and orchestrating a joyful celebration. As we look ahead, the VLSAA Board <strong>of</strong> Directors will advise on implementation <strong>of</strong> the Strategic Plan, cultivation <strong>of</strong> the first-year studentmentoring program, and expansion <strong>of</strong> the regional groups, which most recently welcomed a new chapter in Paris. We will continue to celebrate and support ties between alumni, connect the generations <strong>of</strong> classes, and ensure that the alumni voice and perspective enhance the school. For the accomplishments <strong>of</strong> the past year and for efforts yet to come, I am grateful to the leadership <strong>of</strong> the alumni regional groups, the VLSAA Board <strong>of</strong> Directors, the Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees, and the alumni trustees. The steadfast work <strong>of</strong> those alumni is one <strong>of</strong> VLS’s greatest strengths. <strong>In</strong> closing, I thank Mark Sciarrotta JD’96 at the end <strong>of</strong> his second term as an alumni trustee. His tenure and leadership as a trustee and with the VLSAA Board <strong>of</strong> Directors— including serving as president—has greatly enriched VLS and the alumni for years to come. Sincerely, Brian E. J. Martin JD’10 President, Vermont Law School Alumni Association brian.e.j.martin@gmail.com connect.vermontlaw.edu/vlsaa 39 WINTER 2016/2017
Change language