Vermont Law School is proud to host the New England Consortium of Legal Writing Teachers Conference on Friday, September 12. The theme of the conference is “Tools and Techniques for Maximizing Persuasion and Other Legal Writing Innovation.”

We have chosen a broad theme in the hopes of attracting presenters with a wide range of interests. Novel ideas on narrative theory, practical applications of rhetorical principles, new perspectives on oral argument, and successful collaborations with Academic Success are just a few examples of the many topics that would fit comfortably within the theme. Presenters can also describe pedagogical techniques that help professors persuade students of the importance of legal writing.

Keynote Speaker Chief Justice Beth Robinson

Justice Beth Robinson of the Vermont Supreme Court will be the conference keynote speaker. Justice Robinson was co-counsel on Baker v. State, Vermont’s same-sex marriage case. For decades she led the fight for marriage equality in Vermont until it became a reality in 2009. She became Gov. Peter Shumlin’s chief legal counsel upon his election in 2010. Shumlin appointed Robinson to the Vermont Supreme Court in 2011.

Justice Robinson is a living legend in the marriage equality movement, and now an esteemed justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. This is a special opportunity to hear her speak on persuasion from the perspective of a lawyer-turned-judge.