Introduction to the Vermont Legal Job Landscape
The legal job market in Vermont has experienced a steady, competitive climate over the past several years. While larger law firms and corporate entities continue to seek attorneys to further their business aims, solo practitioners and smaller firms are also expanding their reach and demand for associates with expertise in niche areas such as corporate law, family law, and intellectual property.
One area of steady growth encompasses corporate practice; in fact, as the economy has continued its slow rebound from the recession, Vermont companies such as Keurig Green Mountain and Fuel Cell Energy have posted strong quarterly and annual growth figures . These corporations and the accompanying legal teams help to fuel demand for experienced legal professionals.
Berger Legal Search continues to field a steady stream of offers from Vermont-based law firms and corporate business operations. General counsel and business leaders are increasingly finding success in placing candidates with experience inside and outside the legal realm. Applicants with backgrounds in business, finance, and accounting are poised to make an impact in this state. Corporate clients still demonstrate relatively strong demand for legal professionals in corporate law.
Job Titles and Roles in Vermont Law Practice
Law firms in Vermont vary in size and practice focus, providing both civil and criminal legal services. The majority of law firms are smaller boutique firms, which serve the business, family law, and real estate legal needs of individuals, businesses, and government agencies. There is a small number of large firms with national roots, which offer a limited range of legal services.
Outside of the private sector, there are opportunities for attorneys in state and local government positions, public interest law advocates, and judges. For those looking for more creative legal roles, there are legal openings on academic campuses.
Among these academic openings, many universities and colleges in Vermont have law schools that offer externships for law students, with some even hiring law students as paid interns during the summer. Although these law school externships do not pay as much as other legal jobs, they still offer great experience.
Non-profit organizations frequently seek candidates with law degrees who have an interest in the legal and policy issues that non-profits seek to affect. More frequently, these non-profit organizations partner with law schools and are a source of post-graduate fellowship programs. The Vermont ACLU houses a fellowship program for law clerks who wish to gain more experience clerking in civil rights law. The Vermont chapter of the American Cancer Society offers a fellowship position for attorneys who practice in cancer-related issues. Some of these fellowships do not have deadlines, making them a less competitive option.
Leading Employers in the Vermont Legal Sector
Among the leading employers of legal talent in Vermont and this region are Vermont’s own preeminent law firms with a reputation for attracting top talent within Vermont and beyond. These firms include: Downs Rachlin Martin, Stitzel, Page & Fletcher, P.C., and McNeil Leddy & Sheahan, P.C. Across these leading firms, recruitment is highly competitive, and opportunities are limited.
Corporate employers are another source of popular and competitive opportunities for legal professionals. Firms such as Ben & Jerry’s, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., and The Standard Insurance Company are among the most sought-after employers that hire legal talent in Vermont. These firms are known for competitive salaries, benefits, and opportunities for advancement within the company.
Another key employer of legal talent in Vermont are government agencies. Among the top government agencies in Vermont looking to fill legal positions are the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, where recruiters are looking for institutional and regulatory attorneys, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, which sources both legal assistants and attorneys qualified for high-level court litigation. Both agencies are very competitive, looking for experienced entrants to candidates in both instances. There are also opportunities for legal professionals within public sector labor unions, including the Vermont State Employees’ Association, which hires in-house attorneys.
Several third-party employers also regularly recruit for legal roles in Vermont, including many fathers of law schools with campuses in Vermont. Career centers are a good source of information on legal employers.
Salary Ranges for Legal Positions in Vermont
Whether you’re a fresh law school graduate or a seasoned attorney relocating to Vermont, the salary you can expect to earn as a legal professional is essential to your job search considerations. Generally, Vermont’s legal salaries run on-par with national averages, although earnings hinge on a variety of factors, such as job title, years of experience, and the location of the employer.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the state average salary for attorneys at $110,000, with the lowest ten percent of professionals earning an annual mean wage of $66,950. On a per-hour basis, the BLS estimates average hourly wages to be around $52.00, with the lowest decile reporting wages of $32.16 per hour.
Salaries greatly rely on legal specialty. For example, corporate lawyers in middle and senior positions can command salaries of more than $200,000 per year. Junior defense attorneys working for private firms, on the other hand, make considerably less. Administrative staff and paralegals earn lower salaries than practicing lawyers, but experienced professionals can still earn respectable incomes. For example, median annual salaries for paralegals and legal assistants in 2019 were $58,660 and $59,176, respectively. This translates to an annual wage of $28.21 per hour for paralegals and $28.45 for legal assistants.
As with most salary estimates, the BLS figures vary according to metro area. For instance, in some areas of Vermont, the prevailing salaries for paralegals can differ by as much as $10,000. In Burlington-Vermont South Burlington-Naples, Vermont, the annual mean wage for paralegals is $62,660, while those working in the nearby Barre-Montpelier metro area make, on average, $49,620 per year.
As you might expect, some employers pay more than others. According to the BLS, the "top-paying" quartile of Vermont employers for attorneys is the social advocacy sector, where lawyers earn annual mean wages of $145,080. By comparison, attorneys working for local government make an annual wage of $92,680, while the lowest-paid lawyers earn only $54,930 as a result of working for nonprofits or performing pro bono work.
The prevailing occupations among Vermont attorneys are as follows:
Metropolitan areas tend to offer higher-paying legal jobs. For example, the average salary for a trial attorney in South Burlington is $108,560 (in the top quartile), while the median annual salary for trial lawyers in the Burlington-South Burlington-South Naples area is $101,040. By comparison, the median annual wage for trial lawyers in Spanish Fork, Utah, is just $47,580.
Academic and Licensing Prerequisites
The road to becoming a practicing attorney in Vermont starts with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Vermont has no set requirements for an applicant’s undergraduate education, but it is smart to focus on pre-law classes such as political science, history, philosophy and economics. You must then be accepted into a law school accredited by the American Bar Association to be eligible to take the state bar exam. The bar exam is given twice a year, with one opportunity coming in February and the other in July. If you intend to take the bar in the summer, you must apply for and pay for the exam by May of the same year. Applicants for the winter exam need to submit their applications by January of the same year, and an extension is not available. The exam is given over two days, with the first day focusing on the Multistate section, which is used in most states , and the second day consists of the Vermont-specific portion of the exam. These exams are administered at a central location. You must also submit to a character and fitness interview as part of the bar application process. The Vermont Professional Responsibility exam is an additional requirement that must be taken no earlier than one week before the bar exam. This is an open-book test covering rules and ethics for attorneys. After passing the bar exam, you will need to study to complete the Vermont MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination). Like the Multistate portion of the bar, this exam is used in most states, and it is offered three times a year. If you wish to practice law in Vermont, you will need to be a member in good standing with at least one other state. This means you have passed that state’s exam and gone through its character and fitness screening. You must also be able to prove financial responsibility in the form of professional liability insurance. This is not required for government employees or for lawyers in private practice who handle all real estate and probate law through a title insurance company or professional liability insurance carrier.
Professional Networks and Associations
Building strong relationships in the legal community is essential for personal and professional growth. Those connections can help you find the right legal job in Vermont or even give you business opportunities if you’re an attorney already practicing in the state. To that end, we’ll break down the most important professional organizations and networking opportunities for lawyers in Vermont on the next few pages.
How to Land a Legal Job in Vermont
Network with Vermont Lawyers:
Start networking. The Bar Association is the perfect way to kick off. The association sets up a yearly mixer, creating a great opportunity to meet and mingle with Vermont lawyers. Online resources such as the Vermont Lawyer Referral Service and Legal Aid Clinics can be monitored to identify who calls for help in a given area of law. Put out feelers through family members to discover who else may work in your sector of law. Obviously, the legal community in Vermont is smaller than in many other states, so close attention should be paid to personal referrals. Send the Vermont Bar Association a resume with a cover letter that outlines your interest to obtain entry-level contracts.
After narrowing the list of firms, follow up through email or an old-fashioned phone call. You’ll want to practice how you pitch yourself. Make sure that you describe your career goals and at least two areas of your particular interest. If they don’t have an opening, ask to be referred to another office or practice group.
Use Vermont Legal Job Boards:
Visit state and county law school career placement boards every day. For example , let’s say you attended the University of Vermont Law School. The UVM Career Services Office posts new job vacancies for their students each day. Other online resources are VT Job Link, Monster, and Career Builder.
Tailor Your Resume for Each Legal Job in Vermont:
Understand that Vermont resumes are usually a job seeker’s greatest resistance. The market is competitive, so never use generic docs across the board. Every single job you apply for should have its own resume. Point out that you’re flexible when it comes to employment status. We all know that employers are trying to cut costs so if you’re willing to work on a temporary contract, let them know. Be succinct, and avoid flowery descriptions. Use PDF files when necessary to maintain layout integrity. Whenever possible, avoid using legalese. If you don’t have experience, use descriptive terms to show how you would manage a set number of hours each day, perhaps working from home on weekends, or setting aside blocks of time. A single job might be best for you. Don’t worry about details like salary. If you have post-graduate experience or a publication, spell it out on the resume. If language skills are relevant, indicate the level of proficiency you have. In other words, try to put together a concise reverse resume.