Vermont Bar Association Member Benefits
As VBA member you are entitled to many low-cost personal and professional benefits.
Member benefit information is subject to change. For more information, please contact Lisa Maxfield, Director of Finance and Member benefits at 802-223-2020 or lmaxfield@vtbar.org.
(site updated on July 17, 2007)
VBA members have exclusive access to Casemaker®, a comprehensive on-line research library featuring Vermont state and federal court decisions, statutes, codes, rules of procedure, state agency decisions, advisory ethic opinions, and much more.
VBA members have access to a huge library of materials from twenty-two other states, including every New England jurisdiction. Also included in the library are Vermont Supreme Court and Circuit Court opinions, and an extensive collection of state supreme court decisions.
Members access Casemaker through the VBA's web site, using their password to enter the Members Only page. Once there, the entire Casemaker web library is available merely by clicking on the Casemaker logo. Research using Casemaker is remarkably easy. The search engine is as fast or faster than commercial on-line legal research engines and permits natural language and Boolean searching. An on-line user's manual is available, as well as in-house technical support.
Click here to learn more about Casemaker.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Group health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. Plan and rate information available from Pinnacle Financial Corporation 1-800-200-5434.
Northeast Delta Dental
Dental Insurance offered through Northeast Delta Dental. Plan and rate information available from the VBA office and through Pinnacle Financial Corporation 1-800-200-5434.
Vision
Vision Insurance offered through Vision Service Plan. Plan and rate information available through the VBA office and through Pinnacle Financial Corporation 1-800-200-5434.
Disability/Life
Group Insurance, Disability Income Insurance, Business Overhead Expense Insurance, Level Premium Term Life Insurance, Retirement Planning and Long Term Care Insurance. Products offered through Continental Casualty Company, MassMutual Life Insurance Company and UNUM. Programs are administered through Pinnacle Financial Corporation 1-800-200-5434 or e-mail at pfc@vermontel.com
ABA Retirement Funds - offers tax-qualified retirement plan services to qualified law professionals. This includes full service, cost effective retirement plans such as 401k and profit sharing. Corresponding services include plan design, administration, and fiduciary oversight. Program eligibility is open to any law firm or practitioner that has at least one partner or shareholder who is a member of the ABA, or a state or local bar association represented in the ABA’s House of Delegates.Call 1-877-947-2272 or visit www.abaretirement.com.
Professional Liability Insurance
ALPS is the affiliated professional liability insurer of the Vermont Bar Association. For a quote
on professional liability insurance from your State Bar-endorsed affiliate call 1-800-367-2577. www.alpsnet.com.
As a member of the Vermont Bar Association you qualify for a special group discount* on your auto, home, and renters insurance through Group Savings Plus ® from Liberty Mutual. Liberty Mutual is a Fortune 500 company that has been in business over 90 years. With Group Savings Plus, you can enjoy the ease and convenience of paying your premiums through checking account deductions or by direct bill at home. You’ll also enjoy fast, easy, round-the-clock claims service and a variety of discounts including multi-car, safe-driver, passive restraints, multi policy discounts, and group savings through the Vermont Bar Association*.
See for yourself how much money you could save with Liberty Mutual compared to your current insurance provider.
To learn more about Liberty Mutual, visit the web site: www.libertymutual.com/lm/vtbar
Live Seminars and Video Replays
The VBA offers live seminars, interactive television programs, and video replays on the latest developments as well as standard core curricula in many areas of substantive law, economics of practice, law office management, technology, ethics and other areas.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming programs
Our large collection of continuing legal education videotapes are available for viewing at a member's convenience. There is a fee to view or rent videotapes which fee constitutes a donation for the upkeep of the video library. Contact the VBA for a current list of available videos.
Click here for a list of video rentals
The VBA has an alliance with Legalspan to deliver online continuing legal education courses. A growing catalog of courses are designed to compliment the VBA's traditional live seminars, interactive television programs, video replays, and video rentals.
Click here to access On-Line Seminars
The VBA offers a regular services of short teleseminars through its association with Webcredenza. These interactive teleseminars focus on a wide range of topics and feature nationally known presenters. Teleseminars count as a live credit for MCLE purposes.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming programs
Practice Series Manuals, written by substantive law committees, are being revised. Past topics in the series include: Workers Compensation; Real Estate; Environmental Law.
In March new admittees are specially invited to attend this program free of charge to introduce them to the general principles of the practice of law. Attendees also receive free admission to the Mid-Winter Meeting. These sessions are taught by experienced attorneys who offer basic, practical guidelines. As part of the program "Rookies" are paired with mentors who will work with them as they embark on their legal career.
Nuts & Bolts Seminars – The VBA provides a variety of educational programs to offer attorneys practical guidelines on a wide range of topics. These "get back to basics" programs are often hands-on and interactive. The topics include both transactional law and trial practice and are complimented by many valuable handouts, such as forms, model examinations, and step-by-step "how to's".
Solo & Small Practice Conference – The VBA holds a biannual Solo & Small Practice Conference, providing two days of top quality CLE programming specifically aimed at the needs of small firm lawyers. The conference is held in a resort setting, providing plenty of opportunities to network, relax and learn.
The Vermont Bar Journal
A quarterly magazine containing scholarly substantive articles, reviews and columns of interest to all legal professionals. It offers practice tools, profiles, interviews and other entertaining and educational information as well as classifieds and announcements. Members are encouraged to contact the Editor, Kevin Ryan, kryan@vtbar.org for possible publication of manuscripts and other material. An annual subscription is a member benefit.
Click here to view the latest version of the Journal
The E-News
A bi-monthly newsletter e-mailed to all members, containing information and links about upcoming events and seminars, news items of interest, member news and classified. Subscription to the E-News is a member benefit.
Vermont Bar Digest
is a compilation of court opinions, agency decisions, and pending appeals available through the Members Only page of the VBA web site. The Digest is fully searchable using a wide range of legal topics, areas of practice, courts, judges, attorneys, and other information. The Digest is updated regularly and includes materials from Vermont superior and district courts, the Vermont Supreme Court, the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Bankruptcy Court, and numerous other sources. Don’t miss the newest Digest feature: summaries of the issues, facts, and arguments in pending Supreme Court appeals.
Directory
The Vermont Bar Association Directory is a comprehensive listing of Vermont licensed attorneys and judges, along with their mailing addresses, phone and fax numbers, and electronic addresses. It also contains a complete listing of the Vermont Court system and local, state and federal offices frequently contacted by members of the legal profession. A copy is distributed to every member free of charge. For more information on advertising CLICK HERE
You can access current membership information on Lawyer Lookup, a member's only service
Advisory Ethics Opinions
The Ethics Opinion Advisory service is provided by the Professional Responsibility Committee.
Click here for Advisory Ethics Opinions
Web Site
Your Association resource showcases upcoming CLE and event offerings, news articles, legislative updates, law links, member directory, committee discussion board, Advisory Ethics Opinions, Casemaker, Vermont Bar Digest, and much more.
Click here to visit the VBA Web Site
Advertising
For more information about advertising in the VBA publications - click here
Members are invited to join standing Committees that monitor new legislation and current practices in specific areas of law. Membership on a Committee provides an opportunity for participation and professional contact with other practitioners with common interests.
Government & Non Profit Division
Open to attorneys who are employed by any federal, state or municipal entity, or employed with any non-profit organization.
Women’s Division
Open to women and men interested in issues affecting women and the law.
Young Lawyers Division
Open to those who either have been admitted to the Vermont Bar for five years or less, or are less than 37 years old. The YLS annually sponsors its "Mid-Winter Thaw" in Montreal, Quebec.
Committee Discussion Board – The Committee Discussion Board accessed through our Web site provides discussion groups for each of our Committees and all VBA members. It allows ongoing discussion, responses to specific items, and full text searches of the entire discussion site. You will find a listing of all Committees, their members and Chairs. We encourage everyone to use this site as a means of communicating with Committees and other VBA members on topics relevant to your practice area.
Click here for Committee Discussion Board
Offers attorneys supportive, confidential and non-judgmental assistance for those concerned that they, or a lawyer they care about, are experiencing problems with office organization, case and time management, stress, alcohol, drug dependency, or related career-threatening difficulties. Support is just a phone call away. 1-800-525-0210.
Membership in the VBA entitled lawyers to apply as panel members in a state-wide referral service administered by the VBA office where more than 10,000 calls are handled annually.
The VBA’s Arbitration of Fee Complaints Committee offers a voluntary process to resolve fee disputes between attorneys and clients.
The VBA's Client Security Fund provides partial financial restitution to clients whose funds have been lost due to a defalcation of an attorney. The fund makes reparation and helps build public confidence.
To Visit the Vermont Bar Association Center for Public Education Click Here
Vermont Law Related Education Teacher’s Conference
The Center hosts an annual Vermont Law Related Education Teacher’s Conference which brings together lawyers, judges, and educators to share ideas on the teaching of civics, the role of law in society and other law related topics.
Public Forums
Aimed at the general public, VBA Public Forums address major law-related issues of the day. Past topics include: "Civil Liberties in a Time of Crisis," and "The Medical Malpractice Debate."
Rural Legal Education Project
The Rural Legal Education Project is a community legal education outreach effort of the VBA that enables it to expand its education outreach program to rural Vermont adults through presentations at the local libraries within each community. The focus is on legal issues facing Vermont's rural population.
On Your Own
This booklet contains a general overview of the legal rights and responsibilities about which a person should know when reaching legal majority at age 18. This booklet is distributed, free of charge, to Vermont High Schools.
Click Here to Download On Your Own
We the People The Citizen
and the Constitution
A program co-sponsored by the VBA offering upper elementary, middle, and high school curricula on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The program culminates in a statewide competition.
Mock Trial Program
The VBA is beginning to implement a Mock Trial Program in middle and high schools across the state. In time, Vermont schools will take part in the National Mock Trial Competition.
Law Talk
The Executive Director tapes a weekly "Law Talk" public access television interview program. The program is distributed to fourteen public access sites in Vermont.
Taking Charge
The Center publishes this booklet describing the ways people can protect their financial resources as they get older (e.g., joint fiduciary accounts, powers of attorney, guardianships). The Center also organizes educational programs for the general public in conjunction with the distribution of the booklet.
The VBA has partnered with Subsidium Technologies to offer members competitive local and long distance telephone rates, teleconferencing and internet options. For More information click here, or call 1-518-885-0865.
The Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center
(Exit 14W – 870 Williston Road) offering special overnight room pricing for VBA members. Pricing of $109 November thru March; $149 April thru October – based on availability. An upgrade to the 4 th Floor Club Level room includes free local calls, continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres in the Mansfield Club (open Monday evening through Friday morning) and extra room amenities. Newly renovated guestrooms.
To make ONLINE ROOM RESERVATIONS click: The Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center
Or BY PHONE at 1-800-325-3535 and ask for the "Vermont Bar Association" pricing.
MEETINGS/CATERED EVENTS: 1-800-866-6117
Avis –1-800-331-1212 – Discount #A/A669
Hertz –1-800-654-2200 – Discount # 85454
MBNA Platinum Plus – 1-800-833-6262 – The goal was simple: provide a credit card program to members of the VBA so superior to existing premiums cards it would establish a new standard of excellence. Now, by calling MBNA, you may experience all the benefits of the Platinum Plus MasterCard credit card, issued by MBNA American Bank, N.A. As a member of the VBA, you'll appreciate the availability of a higher credit line, up to $100,000. And, should you ever need a line increase, you'll have a decision in 15 minutes. The Platinum Plus card also offers more premium benefits, all in a credit card that comes with no annual fee.
Financial Education and Planning
American Express Financial Advisors, Inc. – 1-800-267-5044.
Airborne Express – 1-800-642-4292
Office Products
Corporate Express, Inc.
New England Division
68 Pitkin Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Telephone 800-562-3684 x6758
Fax 800-270-9611
E-mail: Thomas.juiffre@cexp.com
Corporate Express
has partnered with the Vermont Bar Association, providing members with an exclusive pricing agreement on Office Products, Furniture and Janitorial Supplies. This program will save your law firm a significant amount of time and money on products you use everyday. Beyond pricing that’s the guaranteed to be the lowest, members receive 3 levels of support: Local Field Representative, Tom Juiffre, Inside Sales Support, Mario Ilagan and Customer Care for all of your service needs. Orders are shipped NEXT DAY, FREE, with NO-MINUM order! In addition to your exclusive office supply pricing, we’ve also partnered with National Office Furniture, providing a 54% discount to VBA members. This line of furniture is a perfect fit for law firms, deeply discounted just for you!
Don’t delay, start saving today! Contact Tom Juiffre at (800) 562-3684 x6758 or by E-mail at: thomas.juiffre@cexp.com
Boise Cascade
We are pleased to introduce another important benefit of your VBA Membership--access to first-quality office products at deeply discounted prices through Boise Cascade Office Products. VBA's office products program offers you: A "Best Value' list containing more than 300 items most often used by Vermont law offices--at prices not available in the general marketplace; Guaranteed lowest prices on more than 11,000 items, even if not included on the VBA 'Best Value' list; Superior customer service, plus a local representative who can come to you; Free, automatic delivery in one to two business days; and Easy ordering procedures. You do not need to wait to get started. Call Bill Ramsey at Boise Cascade 1-800-239-0573 Ext. 1363 or E-mail him at: bill.ramsey@boiseoffice.com to set up an account. If you are looking for ways to lower your office product expenses and to streamline your ordering procedures, we urge you to take a serious look at this program. Please visit our website at www.boiseoffice.com
Computer Discount WarehouseOffers members outstanding discounts on computer hardware and software. Please call: 1-800-800-4239, Ext. 77685 -reference Account # 2443938.
EXCLUSIVE benefit for Members of the Vermont Bar Association!
LexisNexis has partnered with the Vermont Bar Association to offer special packages and pricing exclusively for attorneys in solo or small law firms. These member benefits provide access to the LexisNexis Total Research System, offering the broad perspective you need to succeed in your legal career. Depending on your research needs, you'll find comprehensive news, business and public records information, authoritative analytical materials as well as annotated cases and codes. Take advantage of precision research capabilities using Lexis(r) Search Advisor, Case Summaries, LexisNexis(tm) Headnotes, and the exclusive Shepard's(r) Citations Service. Call 1-866-836-8116 to subscribe to the LexisNexis Total Research System today or visit www.lexisnexis.com/partners/barassociations
Also, feel free to visit http://lexisnexis.com/bars/marketingtools/websitetext.asp
West Publishing Corporation offers members savings on several of their products 1-800-328-9352.
LOISLAW
An electronic publisher of high quality affordable electronic legal research systems on the Internet and CD-ROM, and publishes a product line for Vermont on the Internet and CD-ROM known as Loislaw Professional Library: Vermont Series. Please call 1-800-364-2512 or visit our website at: www.loislaw.com
Union Street Media
Through a partnership with Union
Street Media, VBA members
receive discounts on web site design, hosting, maintenance and
support. Using USM's "Smart Features", VBA members are
empowered to update their own web site through an easy to use
online content management system. USM's hassle-free, affordable
and professional solution is the choice of many Vermont firms,
and was chosen by the VBA itself: We're proud to say this web
site was designed by Union Street Media! For more information on
how Union Street Media can design a site for your firm, please
contact Ted Adler at 802-865-3332 or ted@unionstreetmedia.com.
