2021 Commencement Program
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CLASSES OF 2020 AND 2021 46TH COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2021 1 P.M. EDT VERMONTLAW.EDU/LIVE LEX PRO URBE ET ORBE law for the community and the world ORDER OF EXERCISES Prelude Enjoy special messages sent to Swans Bagpiper Iain MacHarg Welcome Glenn Berger JD’78 Chair, Board of Trustees Opening Remarks Beth McCormack Interim President and Dean Commencement Address Jacqueline C. Patterson Senior Director, NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program Honorary Degree Recipients Rick Middleton Jacqueline C. Patterson E. Thomas Sullivan Awards for the Classes Learned Hand Award of 2021 and 2020 Maximilian W. Kempner Award Lex Pro Urbe et Orbe Award Jeff and Genie Shields Prize Address by Representative Jameson Davis JD’21 of the Class of 2021 Presentation of Degree Candidates Joseph Brennan Vice Dean for Students and Professor of Law Address by Representative Gordon Merrick JD’20 of the Class of 2020 Presentation of Degree Candidates Vice Dean Brennan Conferring of Degrees Chair Berger The National Anthem Arielle King JD’21 ORDER OF EXERCISES 2021 Student Marshals JD Student Marshals Mitul Patel, Marissa Pizaña, Caitlin Feehery, Jerry Thomas Master's Student Marshal Lauren Wustenberg 2020 Student Marshals JD Student Marshals Sarah Mooradian, Ashleigh Angel, Gordon Merrick, Harrison Drapo Master's Student Marshal Travis Clark LLM Student Marshal Sally Natasha Epilogue Enjoy special messages sent to Swans Bagpiper Iain MacHarg VLS Commencement Toast J. Patrick Kennedy JD’93 vermontlaw.info/commencement-toast-2021 President, Vermont Law School Alumni Association Meagan Munsey JD’05 Vice President, Vermont Law School Alumni Association AWARDS AND DEGREES The Learned Hand Award for parents, or alumni) in recognition Academic Excellence, endowed by of their creativity and ingenuity in a gift from the late Judge Sterry R. encouraging philanthropic support Waterman, is the symbol of Vermont to Vermont Law School. The award Law School’s goal of contribution to winner will have the opportunity to the larger community through the allocate the financial stipend from pursuit of academic excellence. Each this endowed fund to a VLS priority year it is awarded to the graduate program. with the highest cumulative average (as of the end of the fifth semester) as the representative of those who have striven for academic excellence, JURIS DOCTOR following Learned Hand’s example. The Juris Doctor (JD) degree is the first professional degree in law The Maximilian W. Kempner Award and is an appropriate credential for was established in 1996 to honor admission to the practice of law in the fifth dean of the law school. all United States jurisdictions. In As a practicing lawyer, member of addition to the skills, values, and numerous groups and organizations substantive knowledge necessary for seeking to improve our administra- responsible and successful prac- tion of justice, and dean of Vermont tice, the curriculum at Vermont Law Law School, Max Kempner brought School seeks to provide students dignity and civility to the profession. with a thorough understanding of the By personal example, he sought to nature and function of law in society hold the profession and its members and equip them to serve their com- to the highest standards of compe- munities in positions of leadership tence, integrity, respect, fair-minded- and responsibility. Thus, students ness, and public service. The award is are encouraged to become sensitive given each year to the graduate who to the relationships between law and best exemplifies these attributes. other disciplines and to emphasize The Lex Pro Urbe et Orbe Award was questions of process, policy, and created in 1979 by the Vermont Law principle in all of their work, pursu- School Alumni Association (VLSAA) ing–in the words of Roscoe Pound– in recognition of the many contri- “the learned art in the spirit of a butions that students make within public service.” the campus community. This award is given annually to a graduate who is selected by the VLSAA Board of Directors, in conjunction with the MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL school’s president and dean, in honor LAW AND POLICY of the individual’s thoughtful interest The Master of Environmental Law and dedication to enriching the VLS and Policy (MELP) is a one-year community. program in environmental law, policy, science, and ethics. MELP The Jeff and Genie Shields Prize was students learn the underlying val- created in 2012 by generous donors in ues of environmental law and the recognition of Jeff and Genie Shields’ ways that multiple disciplines come many contributions to Vermont together to form environmental Law School. The prize is awarded policy. The MELP degree name was to a member of the VLS family (stu- changed from Master of Studies in dents, staff, faculty, trustees, friends, Environmental Law (MSEL) in 2008 to reflect the importance of envi- prepares the lawyer for specialized ronmental policy in the curriculum. environmental law practice in public Many graduates obtain the MELP and service or private firms and for law JD degrees jointly in three years. school teaching. MASTER OF ENERGY MASTER OF LAWS IN REGULATION AND LAW ENERGY LAW The Master of Energy Regulation The Master of Laws (LLM) in Energy and Law (MERL) is a one-year pro- Law degree program is for post-JD gram focused on law and policy students who wish to pursue inten- governing energy use, production, sive study in energy law. The pro- and transmission. The MERL pro- gram prepares students to practice gram responds to the rapid growth energy law in the public or private of the alternative energy sector as spheres or pursue careers in teach- well as the environmental problems ing, research, or public policy. associated with traditional energy production. MASTER OF LAWS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE LAW MASTER OF FOOD AND The Master of Laws (LLM) in Food AGRICULTURE LAW AND POLICY and Agriculture Law is a professional The Master of Food and Agriculture degree awarded to post-JD students Law and Policy (MFALP) is a one-year who wish to pursue intensive study program in food and agriculture law. in food and agriculture law. This pro- MFALP students learn to create the gram prepares students to specialize legal tools needed to innovate and in law and policy relating to sustain- support sustainable food and agricul- able food and agriculture systems. ture systems, preparing graduates for careers in food and agriculture policy MASTER OF LAWS IN and advocacy. AMERICAN LEGAL STUDIES The Master of Laws in American MASTER OF ARTS IN Legal Studies is an advanced profes- RESTORATIVE JUSTICE sional degree. Available only to inter- The Master of Arts in Restorative national students, this LLM prepares Justice (MARJ) program was created the returning lawyer or recent law for students who want to address graduate with the skills and knowl- deficiencies in our justice system edge required for transnational prac- and become the next generation tice or other legal work. of justice leaders. The curriculum combines traditional law courses with PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN restorative justice courses, simula- RESTORATIVE JUSTICE tions, and experiential learning The Professional Certificate in opportunities to prepare graduates Restorative Justice is a unique for careers in restorative justice. nine-credit program for graduate The program is poised to train students, restorative justice lead- students who want to develop new ers, state and non-profit managers, approaches to criminal justice. and other professionals who wish to develop a career focusing on restor- MASTER OF LAWS IN ative justice or gain skills in restor- ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ative practices. The Master of Laws (LLM) in Environmental Law, a professional degree awarded to post-JD candi- dates, offers a deep concentration in environmental law. This degree 2021 DEGREE CANDIDATES Juris Doctor, Joint Juris Doctor—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy, Master of Arts in Restorative Justice Trevor Adkins, Juris Doctor, Master Kenneth Bozarth, Juris Doctor, of Energy Regulation and Law Concentration in Food and Agriculture Theophilus Agbi, Juris Doctor**, Law Concentration in Business Law Matthew Brooks, Juris Doctor* Jonathan Alejandrino, Juris Maggie Broughton, Juris Doctor, Doctor† Master of Environmental Law and Austin Douglas Andersen, Juris Policy• Doctor† Cassidy Marie Brown, Juris Doctor Aaron Armstrong, Juris Doctor Oscar James Brueckner, Juris Jasmine Armstrong, Juris Doctor Doctor* Sophia A. Battle, Juris Doctor John Burgess, Juris Doctor** Santana Batts, Juris Doctor, Master Justin Burnworth, Juris Doctor of Environmental Law and Policy Sawyer Burton, Juris Doctor† Steven Bauer, Juris Doctor, Master Andrew D. Callahan, Juris Doctor of Environmental Law and Policy Terry Ann Campbell, Juris Frank Beal, Juris Doctor, Doctor, General Practice Program Concentration in Energy Law Concentration Roger Benham, Juris Doctor† Lena M. Capps, Juris Doctor** Allison Berg, Juris Doctor, Master of Sarah Caron, Juris Doctor Energy Regulation and Law† Nathan Carrier, Juris Doctor* Zachary Berger, Juris Doctor*, Daniel Cho, Juris Doctor† Master of Energy Regulation and Law• Bailey Choudhury, Juris Doctor, Paige Helene Beyer, Juris Doctor* Master of Environmental Law and Ian Blackwelder, Juris Doctor† Policy† Faith Bickner, Juris Doctor†, Master Robert Jens Christensen, Juris of Environmental Law and Policy† Doctor Alec Bolinsky, Juris Doctor, Master Paul Albert Clark, Juris Doctor,