20 Things You Didn’t Know about Vermont Law School
The Vermont Law School is an institution of higher learning for those seeking careers in the legal profession. The school does not have the long and storied history of some of the other more prestigious law colleges but it offers students high-quality education and an environment that is conducive to learning and preparing for career goals as lawyers, judges, and other professions. If you’re considering this school as an option but you’re not familiar with its merits or its history, here are twenty things you didn’t know about the Vermont Law School to help you decide if it’s the best choice for you.
1. The Vermont Law School is preparing for its fiftieth anniversary
Zippia confirms that the Vermont Law School was established in 1972. The school received its certifications from the Vermont Board of Education as an official institution of higher learning in December of 1973 After 49 years of serving students seeking law degrees, the school is preparing for its five-decade celebration.
2. The Vermont Law School is fully accredited
Two years after the Vermont Law School was certified by the Vermont Board of Education, the institution celebrated another essential milestone. In February of 1975, it received its provisional American Board Association approval. It was a happy time for students and administrators. It was such a monumental accomplishment that the officials rang the school bells and canceled classes for the day. Full ABA approval was granted to the Vermont Law School in 1978 with accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges following in 1980. The Vermont Law School was accepted as a member of the Association of American Law Schools the following year.
3. The first class was more than one hundred students
Upon opening its doors for business, the Vermont Law School attracted 113 students for its summer of 1973 roster. The first charter class to graduate from the school marched in the Spring of 1976. The school started slowly but added to the number of available classes for the Fall of 1975. The school was known as the old South Royalton Schoolhouse until its name was officially changed.
4. The Vermont Law School opened its Environmental Law Center in 1978
Just a few years after its establishment, the VLS opened the doors of its Environmental Law Center. The center provided a program for students at the master’s level to pursue comprehensive learning of environmental policy and law. It was ranked as the most comprehensive educational program in this niche of the law. It receives high praise for its consistent ranking status. The center offers a Master of Laws in Environmental Law and a Master of Environmental Law and policy. The first cohort for the program features eight enrolled students at the master’s level.
5. The first in-house clinic launched in 1979
In 1976, Dean Debevoise partnered with Professor Ken Kreiling to develop an in-house clinic for the Vermont Law School. Their efforts resulted in the opening of the clinic in January of 1979. The first director of the clinic was Zander Rubin. Mr. Rubin previously directed training for Vermont Legal Aid. he was joined by the school’s first staff attorney, Tavian Mayer, a Vermont Law School graduate from 1978. The Vermont Law School was building its reputation for providing a comprehensive curriculum and program content.
6. The Clinic served low-income residents in Vermont
The clinic that launched in 1979 was named the South Royalton Legal Clinic. It provided legal services to help persons of low-income financial status who could not afford legal counsel fees. The areas of practice served within the clinic included civil liberties, civil rights, consumer protection, immigration, bankruptcy, juvenile law and children’s rights, and family law. Student clinicians were allowed to work with real clients in real-world situations under state and federal practice rules. From 2009 through 2010, fifty-three student clinicians worked with clients in 21 venues in more than 220 court and administrative hearings.
7. The Vermont Law School is the alma mater of Jud Burnham
Jud Burnham served as a trial court clerk. He earned the distinction of the longest-serving trial court clerk in the state of Vermont. he retired in 2008. He graduated from the Vermont Law School in 1989. Burnham also served as a staff attorney at the school until the institution found a qualified replacement for him in the role. He helped the Vermont Law School during a time when they needed a temporary staff attorney with qualifications to fill the gap. He served at the post in 1990, just one year after he graduated from VLS.
8. The Vermont Law School fosters a sense of community
The Vermont Law School confirms that the institution is committed to providing its students with a community-minded environment that caters to the social and emotional health and well-being of its students. Students who reside at the school enjoy fishing on the White River. They’re free to hold dinner parties on campus and enjoy the freedom to pursue their interests for hobbies, such as brewing their beer. The environment encourages engagement among classmates with the common bond of love and respect for the small community in Vermont.
9. The Vermont Law School is committed to protecting the environment
The Vermont Law School Campus is situated on a beautifully landscaped piece of land near the White River. The school installed compostable toilets and also offers solar-powered electrical vehicle chargers for student use. It fosters a love for the outdoors and engagement with the surrounding natural settings including hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, and other activities. The campus is committed to maintaining sound and sustainable environmental practices and it encourages its students to do the same.
10. The Vermont Law School inspires community service
The Vermont Law School staff, faculty, and students have a passion for giving to their community and doing what they can to cate positive changes for those within their community. Students maintain this mindset as they embark on internships and go out into the community to work as professionals. The school encourages a strong sense of community and encourages students to give back to their local neighborhoods and become involved in projects that will bring about positive change.
11. The Vermont Law School fosters individual health and well-being practices
The Vermont Law School provides its students with a variety of physical activities that promote the health and wellness of the mind, body, and spirit. They provide a state-of-the-art fitness center that is fully equipped. The school promotes fitness by offering a variety of classes such as guided meditation, yoga, spinning, and others. Students have options that make it easier for them to take time out of their busy study or work schedules to take care of their physical and emotional health through various fitness options.
12. The Vermont Law School has a paperless admissions process
Part of the Vermont Law School’s commitment to environmental issues and sustainability is to cut down on the waste of products that require the use of trees and generate refuse that ends up in community landfills and refuse sites. The admissions review and decision process for the school are paperless. Students apply for admissions through traditional pen and paper methods, supplying the necessary documentation, but the rest is paperless. an Applicant Status Portal for JD students allows the applicant to see the status of their application. it provides all current information about contact information, all mailings sent to the student, and deposit deadlines for students receiving admission. While some paperwork is still required, the system significantly reduces the amount of paperwork processed.
13. The Vermont Law School helps applicants to strengthen their eligibility
Some applicants to the Vermont Law School may not meet eligibility requirements the first time. In these situations, admissions may place the applicant on a waitlist. The school sends the applicant information that outlines the steps that they can take to strengthen their file in the admissions department, and enhance the chances of being moved up on the waitlist to gain acceptance to the law school. It’s a courtesy service offered to the school to help applicants understand how to build their qualifications to gain entry, instead of issuing a rejection notice and leaving it there.
14. The Vermont Law School has a Legal Writing Program
The Legal Writing Program at the Vermont Law School engages students in a three-semester program that encourages the development of writing skills for the legal professional with engagement with real-world assignments. It prepares students to be ready to engage in the practice of law for their summer internships and for positions they’ll obtain after earning their JD degrees. Students and faculty from the Vermont Law School have shown the effectiveness of the program through their accomplishments. The program helps them to master the art of legal writing. Recently, a VLS student was nominated for the Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing. five Vermont Law School students have won the award over the past eight years.
15. Several Vermont Law School Professors are published, and authors
Vermont Law School professors are experts in their chosen fields of law. Many of the professors at VLS are published, authors. Professor Brian Porto published the book titled “May It Please the Court.” He also published an article in The Vermont bar Journal titled “The Rhetorical Legacy of Antonin Scalia.” Professor Greg Johnson published an article in The Vermont Bar Journal titled “Is Neil Gorsuch a role Model for Legal Writing? Yes and No.”
16. The Vermont Law School does not charge an application fee for part-time students
US News confirms the cost of applying for admission for part-time study at the Vermont Law School is zero. Students applying for full-time admission must pay an application fee of $60. It is non-refundable.
17. The student-to-faculty ratio is low at the Vermont Law School
The Vermont Law School offers its students a low student-to-faculty ratio of 5:2:1. Students have more opportunities to interact with faculty members and engage in meaningful conversations. Faculty have a better opportunity to get to know the students in their classes and focus on conversations that enhance the learning process on a more personal and one-on-one basis for each student.
18. The Vermont Law School offers dual degree programs
The University of Vermont confirms that the Vermont Law School caters to the professional goals of its students through programs that offer dual degrees in specific areas of law practice. The unique program is for the bachelors and the Juris doctor levels. The programs are structured to help students to earn two degrees in less time than most other institutions require and for a lower overall cost. They’re referred to as the Vermont 3 + 2 and 3 + 3 programs, referring to the number of years. The bachelor’s program can be completed in three years and the JD degree in just two years from the time of acceptance into the dual degree program. High achieving students are eligible. The total amount of time to achieve a bachelor’s and JD degree is estimated at five to six years. it’s available to undergraduate students working on their bachelor’s degree
19. The Vermont Law School offers online programs
Go Vermont Law confirms that The Vermont Law School provides online programs for law students. Students accepted into the program may engage in online coursework and experiential learning from a distance. The Vermont Law School offers 100% online programs for Masters and LLM degrees. The degrees can be completed as soon as 18 months. Each course lasts 8 weeks.
20. The Vermont Law School offers several online degree options
If you can’t relocate to attend classes at The Vermont Law School, you can complete your studies for certain programs 100 percent online. The school offers several choices of specialized courses. Some of them include Natural Resources Law, Federal Regulation of Food and Agriculture, Alternative Fuels and Renewable Energy, Climate Change and the Law, and more course offerings.