Vermont Law and Graduate School

VLGS Commencement Ceremony
2026-05-16 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Royalton Town Green, 194 Chelsea St., South Royalton, Vermont, 05068
Vermont Law and Graduate School’s 50th Commencement Ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10 a.m. on the Royalton Town Green.

A reception that includes food, champagne, and a steel drum band will immediately follow the ceremony on the Debevoise Hall Back Lawn. The reception is free and open to all graduates and their families.

Click here to watch the livestream.

For more information on all of the Commencement festivities, please click here.

Commencement 2026: Commencement Reception
2026-05-17 12:00 - 14:30 | Debevoise Back Lawn at Vermont Law and Graduate School, 164 Chelsea Street, South Royalton, Vermont
Following Vermont Law and Graduate School’s 50th Commencement Ceremony, a reception that includes food, champagne, and a steel drum band will immediately follow the ceremony on the Debevoise Hall Back Lawn. The reception is free and open to all graduates and their families.

For more information on all the Commencement festivities, please click here.

Financial Aid Updates and Q&A
2026-05-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Join us virtually to meet Melissa Erickson JD’10, director of Financial Aid, and Jeani Stella-Devani, associate director of Financial Aid. Have your questions answered and hear the latest updates on financing your law school journey.

Please register in advance by clicking here.

*This event is geared toward admitted and prospective JD students.

Mapping Your Future: Alumni Career Insights
2026-05-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Reserve your spot in this special admissions webinar to meet Vermont Law and Graduate School alumni and learn about their employment experiences after graduation.

Please register in advance by clicking here.

*This event is geared toward prospective JD students.

Hot Topics | Beyond Personhood: How the World Is Reimagining Nature's Place in Law
2026-05-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by VLGS’s Environmental Law Center. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Beyond Personhood: How the World is Reimagining Nature’s Place in Law,” will be presented by Grant Wilson of Earth Law Center. Wilson surveys how movements to incorporate nature directly into legal systems—as a rights-holder and beyond—are advancing across the globe, and what regional differences in culture, politics, and spirituality reveal about where the field is headed.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | From Farm to Market: Tracking Worker Exploitation in Aquaculture Supply Chains
2026-06-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session will be presented by Martha Mendoza, VLGS’s Aquaculture Media Fellow.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Lecture on Legal Writing
2026-06-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Join us to experience a mock lecture on legal writing taught by Beth McCormack, dean of the law school.

Please register in advance by clicking here.

*This event is geared toward prospective JD students.

Hot Topics | Environmental Advocacy and Defamation in the SLAPP Era
2026-06-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Environmental Advocacy and Defamation in the SLAPP Era” will be presented by Jared Carter JD’09 of Vermont Law and Graduate School and Heather E. Murray of Cornell Law School. Professors Carter and Murray will discuss defamation law and how defamation claims have recently been used as a sword to attempt to silence environmental advocacy organizations. Their talk will consider the recent rise in SLAPP suits against advocacy organizations and propose ideas about how the law might adapt to protect advocacy organizations and their First Amendment rights.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

How to Brief a Case
2026-06-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
Join Professor Dayna Smith JD’20, director of our Academic Success Program (ASP), for an introduction to one of the most common assignments you will have in law school: briefing a case. You will also have a chance to learn and ask questions about ASP, a unique academic resource for our students.

Please register in advance by clicking here.

*This webinar is geared toward prospective JD students.

Hot Topics | Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Marine Aquaculture
2026-06-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Marine Aquaculture,” will be presented by Kamaile Turčan, University of Hawai‘i and VLGS Aquaculture Law Distinguished Scholar.

This lecture will explore the legal, technological, ecological, and ethical dimensions to the emerging marine aquaculture industry in the United States.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Congress Killed the Farm Bill: Lessons for Public Policy and Legislative Development
2026-06-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Congress Killed the Farm Bill: Lessons for Public Policy and Legislative Development,” will be presented by Jonathan Coppess of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and VLGS’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Distinguished Scholar.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Land Use, Land Access, and Urban Agriculture
2026-06-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Land Use, Land Access, and Urban Agriculture,” will be presented by Liz Turner of Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Before the Window Closes: Mainstreaming Disaster Law into Post-Assad Syria's Environmental Peacebuilding Agenda
2026-06-23 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Before the Window Closes: Mainstreaming Disaster Law into Post-Assad Syria’s Environmental Peacebuilding Agenda,” will be presented by Dr. Kirsten Bookmiller JD’26 of Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

Ecological degradation and disaster vulnerability became deeply intertwined during the 2011–2024 Syrian conflict. This talk contends that integrating disaster law is a necessary component of post-war reconstruction and long-term peace in Syria.

Tune into the livestream here.

Hot Topics | Reporting From the Frontlines of the Assault on Climate and Environmental Health and Justice Law, and on Those Leading the Resistance
2026-06-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Reporting From the Frontlines of the Assault on Climate and Environmental Health and Justice Law, and on Those Leading the Resistance” will be presented by Antonia Juhasz, VLGS Environmental Law Media Fellow.

Juhasz will offer a discussion of her reporting from Washington, DC, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Florida, Maryland, and more, exposing the legal wranglings and on-the-ground impacts of assaults to fundamental legal protections for climate and environmental health and justice, and on those people leading the resistance, in Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, and The New York Times.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Alumni Weekend 2026
2026-06-26 08:00 - 2026-06-28 17:00 | Vermont Law and Graduate School, 164 Chelsea St., South Royalton, VT, 05068
Join Swans in South Royalton for a joyful summer gathering honoring 50 years of Vermont Law and Graduate School. Alumni from every class are invited to come together for a weekend of special events—including celebrations for milestone classes ending in 1s and 6s, a tribute to our inaugural Class of 1976, a reflection on our environmental law and policy legacy, and a Taste of Vermont event highlighting the best of the region. Come reconnect, reflect, and celebrate the community that has shaped generations.

Learn more by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Federal Climate Policy: Demolition and Reconstruction
2026-07-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Federal Climate Policy: Demolition and Reconstruction,” will be presented by Sean Donahue of Donahue, Goldberg & Herzog.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Environmental Liabilities in the Texas Oilfields
2026-07-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Environmental Liabilities in the Texas Oilfields,” will be presented by Martha Pskowski, VLGS Environmental Law Media Fellow.

Over a century of oil drilling in Texas has left hundreds of thousands of wells and myriad other aging assets. While some oil companies reap record profits, others are unable to fulfill their obligations to retire their assets and clean up environmental damages. Learn about how landowners, advocates, and regulators are responding to the growing crisis.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Climate Advisory Opinions in International Tribunals
2026-07-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Climate Advisory Opinions in International Tribunals,” will be presented by David Wirth of Boston College Law School.

Led by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, three international tribunals have now delivered transformative advisory opinions on the international legal obligations of states to address anthropogenic climate disruption. After describing the advisory opinion process and purpose, this presentation will explore the catalytic impact of these judgments on the public international law of climate protection, including their relationship to treaty efforts such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate—from both of which the U.S. is now withdrawing.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | What Robin Hood Tells Us About Climate Competitiveness
2026-07-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “What Robin Hood Tells Us About Climate Competitiveness,” will be presented by Bruce Piasecki of AHC Group, Inc.

One of the most effective ways we communicate with each other, and move our society forward, is through stories and fables that endure. The tale of Robin Hood, more appealing than the usual diatribes about climate risk, is now 700 years old. What does this tale tell us about the human psyche, the needs for the redistribution of wealth, and our primary prejudices about business and society?

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

The Power of Policy
2026-07-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Join Graduate School Dean Dan Bromberg for a virtual event centered on policy and the vital role it plays. We’ll explore the powerful mechanism of policy and how public policy professionals are central to communities navigating challenges and building resiliency.

Dean Bromberg will highlight the work of our students and alumni as well as the unique opportunities VLGS has to offer. The session will include a Q&A, as well as information on how to apply.

Reserve your spot in the webinar by clicking here.

*This event is geared toward prospective master’s students.

Hot Topics | Environmental Security in the Earth's Polar Regions
2026-07-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.

This session, “Environmental Security in the Earth’s Polar Regions,” will be presented by Mark Nevitt, Emory University School of Law and VLGS Climate Law Distinguished Scholar, and Bob Percival, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | The Long Tail of Nikolai Vavilov: On the Trail of the World's Centers of Plant Biodiversity in a Post-Colonial Era
2026-07-23 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.This session, “The Long Tail of Nikolai Vavilov: On the Trail of the World’s Centers of Plant Biodiversity in a Post-Colonial Era,” will be presented by Mark Schapiro, VLGS Center for Agriculture and Food Systems Law Media Fellow.

A century ago, Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov identified the Earths’ centers of biodiversity. Today, big-ag and big-pharma are headed to those centers in search of climate-resilient plants. Schapiro will discuss how access to genetic resources is being reshaped by the rise of indigenous rights, emerging international covenants and assertions of national sovereignty.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | Occupational Hazards in a Warming Climate: Preventing Heat Illness in Agricultural Settings
2026-07-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.This session, “Occupational Hazards in a Warming Climate: Preventing Heat Illness in Agricultural Settings,” will be presented by Emma Scott, director of VLGS’s clinical programs and the Food and Agriculture Clinic.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

Hot Topics | How Do We Transition? What Committing to Decarbonization Means for Legacy Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
2026-07-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Join us online for the Hot Topics in Environmental Law Summer Lecture Series, brought to you by the Environmental Law Center at VLGS. The series is free and open to the public. In addition to featuring live Q&A with the audience, each installment is eligible for Vermont Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.This session, “How Do We Transition? What Committing to Decarbonization Means for Legacy Fossil Fuel Infrastructure,” will be presented by Emily Grubert, University of Notre Dame and VLGS Energy Law Distinguished Scholar.

Ending greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century is crucial for international climate targets, but what that actually means at a practical, physical level is rarely discussed. This Hot Topics talk will describe how coordinating fossil infrastructure phase-out could help us move faster by ensuring that we understand when, what, and in what order existing fossil fuel infrastructure needs to close.

Tune into the livestream by clicking here.

2026 Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship
2026-09-24 00:00 - 2026-09-26 23:59
Vermont Law and Graduate School will host the Seventeenth Annual Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship on Friday September 25, 2026. Colloquium participants are environmental law faculty in the U.S. and abroad. This event offers environmental law scholars the opportunity to present their works-in-progress, to get feedback from their colleagues, and to meet and interact with those who are also teaching and researching in areas related to environmental and natural resources law, or any related specialty areas.

If you are interested in presenting a paper at the colloquium, please submit a working title and abstract of 200-300 words no later than May 31, 2026. For an abstract to be eligible for submission, the author must anticipate that the paper will be a true working draft (neither published nor so close to publication that significant changes are not feasible) by the date of the colloquium. We will do our best to notify authors about acceptances by mid-June.

Stay tuned for more details!
