The Vermont Paralegal Organization invites you to become a part of the Pathway to the Paralegal Profession Program¹. People with paralegal skills are in demand in Vermont right now. The VPO is creating a program to help people already working in the paralegal field supplement their existing skills and to teach skills to those who would like to enter the paralegal profession.

Our first program is an Introduction to Vermont Real Estate Law and Title Searching. We have invited Jim Knapp to present a twelve-week course covering an introduction to Vermont real estate law topics, including a brief history of the development of Vermont real estate law, conveyancing and transfers of real estate, estates and interests in land, common encumbrances, mortgages, taxation of real property, real estate transfer taxes, and land use regulations.

If interested in participating in this program, please head to our new program page https://vpo.wildapricot.org/Pathway-to-the-Paralegal-Profession

¹ This program is produced by the Vermont Paralegal Organization and is not affiliated with any educational institution. Participating in this program does not result in credits for higher education purposes. The program is intended as a skills development program for those employed in the legal setting or seeking employment in a legal setting.

Congratulations to the Vermont Paralegal Organization’s (VPO) Robyn Sweet for winning this year’s Individual Pro Bono Award during the National Federation of Paralegal Association’s (NFPA) convention in Cleveland. The VPO Board nominated Robyn for this award in recognition for the many hats she wears at home and in the community.

 She is a biological parent, a stepparent, an adoptive parent, and a foster parent. At the time of her nomination, she was a paralegal at Cleary Shahi & Aicher, PC in Rutland Vermont and she served as Secretary on the Board of the Vermont Foster/Adoptive Family Association (VFAFA). She recently transitioned to a Risk Management Specialist position to Rutland Regional Hospital and resigned her board position.

To paraphrase a recent story in the Rutland Herald, as a foster parent, Robyn signs up for a little bit of heart break to help another family be successful. Foster children are abruptly thrown into a legal situation they often don’t understand when the state takes custody of them for their protection. They are among the most vulnerable populations involved in the legal system. They succeed when they have positive adults in their lives – people like Robyn – who show them that they care.

Robyn opens her home to children, at times on short notice and with no real expectation of how long they will be with her. She advocates for the child’s needs wherever it is necessary: at school, in medical settings, with Vermont’s Department of Children and Families (DCF), and everywhere else. She becomes their caregiver while their parents work through services to help them become safer parents. She and her husband, Bill, have been foster parents since 2014. They have had over 40 children in their home, sometimes for a day and sometimes for a year or more.

Robyn has been involved with VFAFA for about 7 years. She helps enact their mission “…to empower, support, and unify foster and adoptive families by strengthening the systems that care for Vermont’s children.” She has served as Vice President in the past. Robyn’s primary role as Secretary is to communicate with foster and kinship families to make sure they have the information they need to best care for the children in their homes.  Additionally, she is helping them revise their bylaws. VFAFA president Debbie Boyce greatly appreciates her paralegal expertise as they make these revisions. The organization has been in existence for 40 years and the bylaws have not historically had the attention they have needed. Robyn also helps the Board award funds for children in care to participate in special activities or for scholarships for higher education.

In addition to these tasks, Robyn is working with Vermont’s Foster/Kin Care Manager to develop a welcome letter for all who accept children in their homes through DCF. Because of Robyn’s past experiences, she has a unique perspective to offer to those who are welcoming children in their homes.

Click HERE for press release from Attorney General Donovan

"The Vermont legal community together raised $6,845.00, which will supply more than 11,431 meals for Vermonters.  All funds donated went directly to the important work of the Vermont Foodbank. Food and other items donated were brought to local food shelves or meal sites partnered with the Vermont Foodbank. In the five-year history of the food drive, the Vermont legal community has raised more than $50,000 and collected over 11,000 food items.

Lucia White, CP, Pro Bono Chair of the Vermont Paralegal Organization expressed VPO’s gratitude for the opportunity to participate in helping alleviate hunger in Vermont. “The timing of this year’s food drive allowed participants to donate food items at our CLE Conference. Paralegals eagerly filled up bags to help other Vermonters.”"

- highlight from press release

THANK YOU for all your support!

Looking to connect with others in the legal field?  Need CLEs?  Join the Vermont Paralegal Organization (VPO) for the 2021 conference!

Click here for the 2021 VPO CLE Brochure for more information on the upcoming VPO conference.

Where:  DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT BURLINGTON 1117 Williston Road South Burlington, Vermont

When: September 14th 

Time: 9-3:30pm-  You can participate in a full or half day, see brochure for details on pricing and scheduled CLEs.

Cost: see brochure for details on pricing, lunch included in pricing.

The VPO will be collecting non-perishable items for the Vermont Foodbank at this event. Please bring something to donate.

Questions? Contact: Carie Tarte 489-5258 carie@maleyandmaley.com Louise Reese 859-7063 lreese@dinse.com

Please bring 

SEE YOU THERE!

VPO is excited to be a co-sponsor of this year's Vermont Legal Community Fighting Hunger Food Drive! The drive will be held from September 3 through 17 and will benefit Vermont Foodbank and local food shelves. 

You can participate in the food drive in a few ways: 

1) Bring non-perishable food donations to the sign in table at the VPO Conference on Tuesday, September 14 at Delta Hotels by Marriott, 1117 Williston Road South Burlington, Vermont.

2) Bring your food donations to the office of Lynch and Foley weekdays between 8:30 and 5 at 7 Washington Street, Middlebury. You can leave your donations in the lobby. 

3) Through a financial donation at the Vermont Foodbank VPO page.

Please contact Lucia White at lucia@nancismithlaw.com if you would like more information. 

June the new VPO Board on June 16th at 5:30pm for their first Board meeting.  Open to VPO Member's only.  

Governor Scott signed a proclamation May 11th, 2021 proclaiming May 19, 2021 as Vermont Paralegal Day.  Take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments in the profession.  Happy Paralegal Day!

Paralegal Day Proclamation signed by Governor Scott.

Are you a credentialed member?

If so, you may have submitted your third-party CLE materials to NFPA for approval towards your biennial renewal in the past.  In the Spring of 2020, however, NFPA announced that it was no longer offering this service.  In its place, it decided that member organizations can now begin to self-approve its own members’ CLE credits.  The VPO is now offering this service at no cost to members!  If you’ve attended a 3^rd party CLE that needs approval before submitting your renewal package to NFPA, please read the following documents which describe the new process for approvals.  Also included is an Approval Application (Note:  applications must be submitted within three months of CLE completion.)  Once an Application is approved, the member will receive an Approval Certificate for use with their renewal package.

Please contact Krista Cadieux, VPO Certification Ambassador, at certification@vtparalegal.org with questions.”

VPO Certification Flowchart.pdf

Third Party CLE Application for Approval.pdf

Guidelines for Third Party CLE.pdf

Letter to Credentialed Members (CLE Process).pdf