Vermont Law School - Law Program

At Vermont Law School, the students, faculty, and staff “are anything but ‘typical.’” Students are drawn here for the school’s “environmental focus, non-competitive atmosphere, great professors with a variety of legal experience, and the willingness of professors/students to help you.” As one student notes, “The high moral and ethical fiber of the school’s community cannot be overstated.” Vermont Law provides an “educational environment [which] emphasizes community above competition and everyone is encouraged to use their legal degree to give back.” In essence, “Vermont Law is the place to go if you want to feel like you’re part of a community.”
Many choose VLS for its “stellar reputation in environmental law;” however, others say they are “equally impressed by their international law program and their unbelievable foreign exchange and dual-degree opportunities.” “At the end of my law school career, I hope to be eligible to take the bar in both France and the U.S., and to practice environmental law on an international scale,” says one student. Administration and professors here “are all highly regarded in their respective fields and are completely available and willing to help students with intern/externships and employment opportunities.” On the whole, instructors “are intelligent, kind, and accessible people.” “It is easy to find a mentor you connect with because our faculty possess[es] a broad range of experience and specialties.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, others note, “Much of the faculty is overly liberal. However, they are also extremely approachable and always willing to assist outside of class. If you are looking to study environmental law, there’s no place on Earth like VLS. The number and depth of environmental classes is unbeatable.” In addition, “The Academic Success Program is an excellent resource and utilizes student mentors to make asking for help a lot less frightening.”
Classroom and research facilities on campus “are brand-new, state-of-the-art, and are comfortable.” True to the school’s sustainable roots, “even the desks and podiums in the classrooms are made by local Vermont woodworkers with local materials.” In addition, “the majority of the buildings that VLS students frequent (i.e., those that house all the classrooms, the cafeteria, the student center, the library, student mailboxes, the Environmental Law Center, and IT) are all interconnected—which is ideal during cold and snowy Vermont winters!” The library “is beautiful” with “a lot of sunlight on the top floor.” Whatever it may be “lacking in books in-house,” it is “helpful in acquiring through interlibrary loan.” The IT department, however, “is a nightmare. E-mail tends to be slow, [and] the Internet connection on campus is often slower than at home.”
When it comes to post-law school placement, first-year JD students are assigned a personal career and academic counselor who works with them over the course of their time at VLS. Still, some students feel “career development and alumni relations are very, very weak and need a huge revamping.” However, “the administration is awesome. They always have their doors open to all students no matter what our issues may be. Especially Dean J., she’s an amazing woman that inspires me to be a better person and motivates me to change the world around me.”

Attending Vermont Law School “is a lot like summer camp.” Located in the Green Mountains with the White River running through campus “(complete with a nearby rope swing and kayak/tubing drop-in point),” the school’s facilities “even offer composting toilets, which give it an outhouse sort of feeling (don’t worry, we have real toilets, too).”The campus itself “is beautiful; it’s in rural Vermont which affords wonderful opportunities to do activities outdoors: skiing, hiking, floating down the river, etc.” Amenities-wise, an energy-efficient fitness center is equipped with rowing machines and spinning bikes, weight-training equipment, stair-steppers, free weights and more.
Some say hometown South Royalton “is a perfect example of a small, New England village.” “You’re about thirty minutes from the nearest ‘city.’” Others say, the “town is quaint but in the middle of nowhere and has no facilities. I mean none. One bar, [one] small grocery, one restaurant. [You] have to drive over twenty minutes for anything more.” Basically, “if you love doing outdoor activities every day, this place is for you. If you have any ambivalence about your feelings toward outdoor sports, seriously evaluate how happy you would be here.” Students are quick to add, “What we lack in access to shopping or amenities, we make up for in community.” “Most of the events on campus (I’d estimate 90 percent or more) are student-organized and student-run. This includes educational dinners, speaking events, talent shows, costume contests, movie nights, outdoor adventures, competitions, festivals, and blood drives.” The “summer camp feel” also translates “into a high level of camaraderie.” “Everybody is always willing to lend a hand, a book, a ride, or a shovel.” And shovel they do! “We are in the middle of nowhere and it is very cold and snowy during the winter. However, I like that everyone socializes together on the weekends. We go to parties hosted by our friends or the one pub in town. We are inspired to create our own social events.”