Vermont State Court Administrator Therese “Teri” Corsones was honored on Aug. 1 at the 2026 ABA Annual Conference in Chicago with the Robert B. Yegge Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Judicial Administration.
The Award honors the former Dean Emeritus of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and former Chair of the Lawyers Conference of the ABA (1987-88). Yegge distinguished himself with outstanding achievements in the area of judicial administration and also as a leader in scholarly and civic arenas.
The Award has been given each year since 2009 to a current or former member of the American Bar Association who best emulates Dean Yegge’s contributions to the field of judicial administration either through a single outstanding achievement, a lifetime of achievement in this area through legal, scholarly, or civic avenues, or through exceptional service to the Lawyers Conference of the Judicial Division.
Teri was on hand in Chicago to receive the award. She spoke to those assembled about the accomplishments of the Vermont judiciary, specifically highlighting the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence celebrations. Teri was co-chair with Vermont Supreme Court Justice Nancy Waples of the VT Judiciary 250th Anniversary Declaration of Independence Committee. The Committee promoted and organized events in Montpelier and around the state to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Teri is a well-known figure in Vermont legal circles. The Vermont Supreme Court appointed her to the State Court Administrator post in 2022. Just prior to her appointment, she served as Executive Director of the Vermont Bar Association. After graduating from Cornell Law School in 1982, Teri worked in private practice in Vermont for 25 years before serving as Superior Court Clerk after the re-structuring of the Vermont Superior Court in 2010. During her career in the private and public sectors, Teri also served as President of the Vermont Bar Association, President of the Vermont Bar Foundation, Chair of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, Chair of the Mendon Planning Commission, Chair of the Diocese Review Board and Member of the Vermont Access to Justice Coalition. This is a partial list of her activities. She is married to the Hon. Cort Corsones. They have three children and six grandchildren.
Teri was nominated for the award by Stackpole & French attorney Alexander Cyr. Alex represents Vermont as the State Delegate to the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates and serves as an at-large member of the Vermont Bar Association (VBA) Young Lawyers Division Executive Board. He was on hand in Chicago along with other members of the Vermont Delegation, including former VBA President and ABA Delegate Elizabeth Kruska, to present the award to Teri.
Kari Petrasek, chair of the Lawyers Conference of the ABA, Alexander Cyr, ABA Vermont State Delegate, and Teri.
Thanks to Elizabeth Kruska for the photos.
