Professional Responsibility Board
Special Notice
The PRB Annual Meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2022 has been postponed until Spring 2023.
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The Vermont Supreme Court has the power under the Vermont Constitution to oversee the professional conduct of all attorneys practicing in Vermont. The court formed the Vermont Professional Responsibility Board to administer the professional responsibility program, which regulates the legal profession.
The Professional Responsibility Board was created to assist the court in regulating the legal profession. The board oversees the professional responsibility program, which:
- Resolves ethics complaints against attorneys
- Investigates and disciplines attorney misconduct
- Assists attorneys and the public by providing education, advice, referrals, and other information
The board is responsible for adopting procedures to meet these functions, as outlined in Administrative Order 9, Rule 1.
The board provides the court with an annual report, including statistics. A complete list of annual reports is available at the bottom of this page.
The Supreme Court appoints the board members. The board consists of
- Three attorneys admitted to the Vermont bar
- Three public members
- One judge or retired judge
|
Carolyn Anderson, Esq. |
Chair |
|
Bonnie Badgewick, Esq. |
Vice-Chair |
| Honorable Paul L. Reiber | Chief Justice, Liaison from Supreme Court |
|
Honorable David A. Howard(Ret.) |
Member |
|
Caryn Waxman, Esq. |
Member |
|
Christopher Chapman |
Member |
|
Kevin O’Donnell |
Member |
|
Susan Fay |
Member |
The board employs bar counsel to:
- Administer the dispute resolution program
- Respond to inquiries from lawyers regarding ethics and law practice
- Consult and coordinate with other state and local bar associations
- Confer with the board to review program operations
- Provide administrative and legal support to the board
Bar counsel screens all complaints of attorney misconduct. In response to a complaint, bar counsel may:
- Contact the subject attorney (respondent)
- Conduct a limited investigation to determine the nature of the inquiry
- Resolve any complaint that does not appear to need formal intervention
- Dismiss a complaint
If bar counsel dismisses a complaint, the complainant may seek review from the chair of the board.
Prior to September 1, 1999 the Professional Responsibility Board was known as the Professional Conduct Board. Any case which was originally heard prior to that date, even if the decision was released after September 1, 1999 is listed under the Professional Conduct Board.
Professional Responsibility Board
A Digest of Decisions provides a brief summary of each decision made by the Board as well as information needed to locate the decision.
Professional Conduct Board
A Digest of Decisions provides a brief summary of each decision made by the Board as well as information needed to locate the decision.
In the cases listed on this page, there are disciplinary proceedings pending. Files in these cases are a matter of public record and available for examination at the Office of the Professional Responsibility Board, 1st Floor of the Supreme Court Building, 111 State Street, Montpelier. The Professional Responsibility Board Program Administrator serves as the Clerk for the Hearing Panels for purposes of all filings. Please refer to Contact Info below.
The chair of the Professional Responsibility Board appoints standing hearing panels. Each hearing panel consists of two members of the Vermont bar and one public member. The board chair appoints an attorney member of each hearing panel to serve as chair of the panel. The hearing panels adhere to the board's Manual for Hearing Panels. The Professional Responsibility Board Program Administrator serves as the Clerk for the Hearing Panels for purposes of all filings. Please refer to Contact Info below.
Hearing Panel No. 1
Anthony Iarrapino, Esq., Chair
Emily Tredeau, Esq.
Scott Hess
Hearing Panel No. 2
James A. Valente, Esq., Chair
Amelia W.L. Darrow, Esq.
Brian Bannon
Hearing Panel No. 3
Gary Karnedy, Esq., Chair
Ashley Taylor, Esq.
Peter Zuk
Hearing Panel No. 4
Cara L. Cookson, Esq., Chair
James Murdoch, Esq.
Thad Richardson
Hearing Panel No. 5
Devin McLaughlin, Esq.
Sarah Star, Esq.
Traci Cherrier
Hearing Panel No. 6
David A. Berman, Esq., Chair
Matthew Little, Esq.
Nicole Junas Ravlin
Hearing Panel No. 7
Richard Goldsborough, Esq., Chair
Megan Manahan Bliss, Esq.
Karen Luneau
Hearing Panel No. 8
Jennifer E. McDonald Esq., Chair
Jonathon T. Rose, Esq.
Patrick Burke
Hearing Panel No. 9
Mary Kay Lanthier, Esq., Chair
Shannon Lamb, Esq.,
Thomas J. Sabotka
Hearing Panel No. 10
Katherine M. Lamson, Esq. Chair
Michael Munson, Esq.,
Kelley Legacy
Hearing Panel Counsel
Robert Keiner, Esq.
The Professional Responsibility Board also appoints three-member assistance panels to review complaints referred to it by bar counsel or disciplinary counsel. The panels were created to provide resolution to complaints by means other than discipline, guided by the board's Manual for Assistance Panels.
With agreement of the attorney against whom an ethics complaint was filed, the panel can impose conditions such as:
- Participation in law office training
- Continuing legal education
- Counseling
- Substance abuse programs
- Referral to fee arbitration
The assistance panel may transfer a matter to disciplinary counsel.
The Professional Responsibility Board also appoints three-member assistance panels to review complaints referred to it by bar counsel or disciplinary counsel. The panels were created to provide resolution to complaints by means other than discipline, guided by the board's Manual for Assistance Panels.
ManualforAssistancePanels.pdf
With agreement of the attorney against whom an ethics complaint was filed, the panel can impose conditions such as:
Participation in law office training
Continuing legal education
Counseling
Substance abuse programs
Referral to fee arbitration
The assistance panel may transfer a matter to disciplinary counsel.
Assistance Panel Members
Steven Adler, Esq.
Shannon Bertrand, Esq.
Joseph F. Cahill, Jr., Esq.
Traci Cherrier
Lynn Dunton
Robert Fairbanks, Esq.
Susan Fay
Stephanie B. Foley, Esq.
Edward B. French, Jr., Esq.
Jennifer Guarino
Leslie Hanafin, Esq.
DeeDee Jones
Peter Keelan
Deborah Kirchwey, Esq.
Judith Lidie
Thea Lloyd, Esq.
Robert O'Neill, Esq.
Susan Palmer, Esq.
Holly Poulin
Neal Rodar
Alan Rome, Esq.
Janet P. Shaw, Esq.
R. Brownson Spencer II
Susan Terry
Erik Wheeler
If disciplinary counsel concludes that prosecution is necessary, disciplinary counsel files a request for review for probable cause. If a hearing panel finds that there is probable cause to believe that a lawyer has violated the Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct, disciplinary counsel begins formal disciplinary proceedings. The matter is assigned to a different panel than the panel that reviewed the request for probable cause.
After disciplinary counsel files formal charges, a hearing may be held. Disciplinary counsel informs the complainant of the date and place of the hearing.
Disciplinary counsel has the burden of proving the alleged violations by clear and convincing evidence. The hearing panel resolves the case by making findings of fact and conclusions of law and, in cases where a violation is found, imposing a sanction against the lawyer’s license.
Either disciplinary counsel or the charged lawyer may appeal the order. The court can also order its own review.
The Professional Responsibility Board's guide "Managing Client Trust Accounts, Rules, Regulations and Tips” is for both new and experienced lawyers dealing with trust accounting questions.
Because there are no absolute rules, the guide provides only basic rules, highlighting areas that will always require a lawyer's best judgment. It also dispenses practical advice based on years of answering lawyers' questions. If you are an attorney and have a trust account question, please call the Professional Responsibility Board at 802-859-3000 or 802-828-3204.
The board has also developed a trust account questionnaire.
This questionnaire serves as a tool that Vermont attorneys can use to assess the procedures by which they manage their trust accounting systems. The questionnaire is the result of several years of input from the board, bar counsel, disciplinary counsel, and certified public accountants. It provides a starting point for self-education on trust account management. Completion of the questionnaire is not a substitute for complying with the rules.
Rule 1.15B(a)(1) of the Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct requires members of the Vermont Bar to maintain their trust accounts only in financial institutions approved by the Professional Responsibility Program. Financial institutions which have not been so approved may obtain information as to how to become certified by contacting the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (802) 859-3000.
| Bank of Bennington |
| Bank of Burlington |
| Bar Harbor Bank & Trust |
| Berkshire Bank |
| Brattleboro Savings & Loan Association |
| Capital Bank, N.A. |
| Citizens Bank |
| Claremont Savings Bank |
| Community Bank |
| Community National Bank |
| Green Mountain Credit Union |
| Heritage Family Federal Credit Union |
| Key Bank |
| Ledyard National Bank |
| Mascoma Savings Bank (NH) |
| M&T Bank |
| National Bank of Middlebury |
| NBT Bank |
| New England Federal Credit Union |
| North Country Federal Credit Union |
| Northfield Savings Bank |
| One Credit Union |
| Passumpsic Savings Bank |
| Peoples Trust Company |
| TD Bank, N.A. |
| Union Bank |
| Vermont Federal Credit Union |
| Vermont State Employees Credit Union |
| Wells River Savings Bank |
The board employs disciplinary counsel to:
- Administer the disciplinary program
- Investigate and litigate disciplinary and disability matters
- Select and recommend investigative staff
- Confer with the board to review operations
If alleged misconduct may require disciplinary sanctions, the complaint is referred to disciplinary counsel.
Discipline may be imposed for:
- Violation of professional conduct rules
- Violation of a rule or order of a hearing panel, the board, or the court
- Failure to give information or respond to a request for information from disciplinary counsel, a hearing panel, or the court
Disciplinary counsel investigates and can:
- Dismiss the complaint
- Refer it to an assistance panel
- Commence formal disciplinary proceedings
- Commence disability proceedings
If disciplinary counsel dismisses a complaint after investigation, the complainant is notified of the reasons for the dismissal. There is no further review of that decision.
Office of Bar Counsel
Michael Kennedy, Esq.
Costello Courthouse
32 Cherry Street, Suite 213
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: 802-859-3000
Office of Disciplinary Counsel
Sarah Katz, Esq.
Costello Courthouse
32 Cherry Street, Suite 213
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: 802-859-3000
Professional Responsibility Board
Merrick Grutchfield, Program Administrator
Vermont Supreme Court
Professional Responsibility Program
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
Phone: 802-828-3204
Complaints can be emailed to JUD.PRPComplaints@vermont.gov