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Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic


Faculty and Staff

Patrick Parenteau Patrick A. Parenteau

Senior Counsel
Patrick Parenteau is the former director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic and continues to work with the clinic on special projects and cases. He brings years of experience and accomplishment to the clinic after having served in capacities including Vermont Law School professor, adjunct professor at George Washington University, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College, and Dartmouth College, international lecturer, special counsel to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) selected Professor Parenteau to receive its prestigious National Conservation Achievement Award in the Legal/Legislative category for 2006. NWF’s awards program honors “individuals and organizations whose achievements in wildlife and natural resource conservation deserve national recognition.”
Professor Parenteau received his BS in business administration from Regis College, his JD from Creighton University, and his LLM from Georgetown University. More...

Lura Murphy Laura Murphy

Staff Attorney

Laura Murphy is a staff attorney and assistant professor in the clinic. She focuses on Clean Water Act work and strategies for eliminating the myriad negative impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). She has previously worked as a contract attorney with Conservation Law Foundation (Vermont) and as a project associate with Conservation Law Foundation Ventures.
Professor Murphy received her BA in drama and religion from Vassar College, and her JD from Pace University School of Law, Certificate in Environmental Law. She is admitted to the Vermont Bar. More...

Sheryl DickeySheryl Dickey

Interim Director and Staff Attorney

Sheryl Dickey is an Assistant Professor and Staff Attorney with the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic ("ENRLC"). In this role, she litigates environmental cases, teaches classes as part of the ENRLC seminar, and supervises student clinicians. She currently focuses on issues related to water quality.
Ms. Dickey brings several years of experience in the area of civil litigation, having been an associate with the New York office of the international firm White & Case LLP. Prior to joining the VLS Faculty, Ms. Dickey served as a Clinic Fellow with the ENRLC while she was also enrolled in the LLM in Environmental Law program at Vermont Law School.
Professor Dickey earned an AB in Government from Smith College and her JD degree, magna cum laude, from the Washington College of Law, American University in 2002. Ms. Dickey received her LLM degree, summa cum laude, from the Environmental LLM program at Vermont Law School in 2010. She is admitted to practice law in Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. More...

Monica Litzelman MONICA LITZELMAN, LITIGATION PARALEGAL AND OFFICE MANAGER

Monica Litzelman serves as the clinic litigation paralegal and office manager. She has over 20 years of experience in the legal field. Her previous employment includes Diamond & Robinson PC, the Supreme Court of Vermont, Vermont Criminal Information Center, Vermont Center for Justice Research, and Martin & Associates PC.
Ms. Litzelman received her BA in criminal justice from King’s College, Paralegal Studies Certificate from Woodbury College, and is a student of the Master of Environmental Law and Policy program at VLS.

CHRISTOPHER D. AHLERS, CLINIC FELLOW

Christopher Ahlers is an Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic fellow. He serves as a staff attorney in the clinic, managing projects in collaboration and partnership with the Toxics Action Center. Mr. Ahlers also assists in teaching and supervising student clinicians. He brings to the clinic over sixteen years of experience as an attorney, including work in environmental due diligence investigations, environmental auditing, enforcement actions, CERCLA litigation, and brownfields redevelopment. His most recent employment was as a senior associate with Damon Morey, LLP, a large law firm in Buffalo, New York. He is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish, Latin, and Ancient Greek.

Mr. Ahlers earned a B.A. in Government from Cornell University (Phi Beta Kappa) and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. As part of his two-year fellowship, he is enrolled in the L.L.M. in Environmental Law program at VLS. He is a member of the New York bar, and his admission to the Vermont bar is pending.

KENNETH RUMELT, CLINIC FELLOW

Ken Rumelt is an Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic fellow. He serves as a staff attorney in the clinic assisting with cases, teaching, and supervision of student clinicians. Mr. Rumelt brings several years of environmental litigation experience having worked as a contract attorney with firms in St. Louis, Missouri and Denver, Colorado on toxic tort claims. Before law school, Mr. Rumelt spent two years as in intern with the EPA National Hazardous Waste and Superfund Ombudsman in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Rumelt earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law. He is pursuing an LLM as part of the two-year fellowship at Vermont Law School. He is admitted to practice in Vermont.

BETH RODGER, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Beth Rodger has recently joined the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic as an administrative assistant and will be providing much administrative support. Prior to joining the clinic, Ms. Rodger did human relations and administrative work at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, as well as insurance-related work at the National Life Group.

Ms. Rodger graduated from Woodbury College with a paralegal degree in 2008.