Members of the VBA Women’s Division held a social gathering on Oct. 30 at Bliss Bee in South Burlington, accompanied by members of the VBA Paralegal Section and Vermont Paralegal Organization.
The Women’s Division meets monthly and recently began a discussion that since Vermont no longer has any college programs for legal assistants or paralegals, law firms struggle to find qualified individuals to fill these roles. The Women’s Division questioned whether we could assist legal assistants and paralegals (a predominantly female profession) with professional development.
We reached out to VBA Executive Director Kim Velk on this topic, and she shared that as part of the Judiciary’s “legal deserts commission” (not the official name) there has been some serious discussion regarding limited licensure for paralegals to work in family law. Those discussions are happening now and are led by incoming VBA president, Kate Lamson. The Vermont Paralegal Organization is also involved.
VBA Women’s Division Chair Caryn Connolly organized the Oct. 30 gathering at Bliss Bee (where inexplicably the lights kept going out) where the group had a chance to discuss in-person the practical challenges resulting from the lack of trained individuals available for hire, attempts by the VPO to provide educational opportunities for law office staff, and the overall aging of the profession.
The two groups agreed that partnering in efforts to develop educational opportunities for law office staff, and to advocate for limited licensure, makes sense. Moving forward the Paralegal Section and VPO members will join the monthly Women’s Division meetings to continue the discussion and efforts toward these common goals.
Submitted By Julia Compagna, VBA Women’s Division Member
Photo L to R: Julia Compagna and Annika Green, Women’s Division members, Caryn Connolly Women’s Division Chair, Krista Cadieux and Lucia White, VBA/VPO members, Melinda Devoid-Siel, VPO President.
