Bob Paolini, assisted by Kevin Ryan and the VBA staff, was tapped by Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell in October of 2011 “to review the status of Vermont property law and its ability to respond to the issues of Tropical Storm Irene.”2 Fifty individuals representing nineteen agencies and non- profit organizations met over a two month period under Bob’s guidance to quickly as- sess the legislative priorities in dealing with the aftermath of Irene and to formulate legislative and administrative recommen- dations in the areas of finance and insur- ance, housing, property law, public records and towns, as well as planning, rebuilding, and recovery. Bob formally presented the Report to a rare legislative “committee of the whole” on January 17 and, given the number and complexity of the recommen- dations made, plenty of work remains in getting needed legislation moving towards passage. In the Preamble to our Rules of Profes- sional Conduct, it is said that a lawyer should further the public’s un- derstanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system be- cause legal institutions in a constitu- tional democracy depend on popu- lar participation and support to main- tain their authority. A lawyer should be mindful of deficiencies in the adminis- tration of justice and of the fact that
the poor, and sometimes persons who are not poor, cannot afford adequate legal
assistance. Therefore, all law- yers should devote professional time and resources and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who because of economic and social barriers cannot af- ford to secure adequate legal counsel. A lawyer should aid the legal profes- sion in pursuing these objectives and should help the bar regulate itself in the public interest.3
In undertaking the work outlined above, these individuals have given life to these words. I am honored and proud that their work has been supported by, and is affiliat- ed with, the VBA. The VBA Board of Man- agers is continuing to build on these efforts by looking closely at our disaster prepared- ness. I am personally aware that our mem- bers extend similar assistance in their com- munities on a daily basis without fanfare, hype, or notoriety. Whether recognized or
not, these efforts sustain us in subtle but impactful ways as lawyers continue to lend a hand where and when it is most needed, one individual and family at a time. These are great notions undertaken on a small scale. The need is forever constant and the work forever undone. But, it is our work nonetheless.
My thanks, Jim
____________________ Jim Carroll, Esq., is President of the Ver- mont Bar Association and practices law with the firm of English, Carroll and Boe, P.C., in Middlebury.
____________________ 1
The Manual can be accessed at www.vtbar.
See Post Irene Property Law Task Force Fi- nal Report at p. 3 (1/3/12), available at https://
www.vtbar.org/UserFiles/files/Post%20Irene%20 Task%20Force/Post%20Irene%20Property%20 Law%20Task%20Force%20Report%20Jan%20
org/UserFiles/files/Disaster%20Relief. 2
17%202011.pdf 3
VRPC I, (6).
6
THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • WINTER 2012
www.vtbar.org
President’s Column
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