Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C. is pleased to announce that attorney Devin McKnight has been elected as a Principal and Director of the firm effective January 1, 2023.  Devin first joined the firm as an associate attorney in 2019, with a practice focused primarily on criminal and civil litigation.  He has defended clients in matters involving trade secret appropriation, violation of employee non-competes, medical malpractice, and breach of contract.  He has also defended clients in federal criminal court in complex conspiracy investigations involving drug sales and fraud.

McKnight graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School in 2013.  Upon graduating he completed a two-year clerkship with Vermont Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Skoglund, followed by a two-year clerkship with Magistrate Judge John Conroy in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont.  McKnight is also a graduate of the Lake Champlain Chamber’s Leadership Program, and was selected to the New England Super Lawyers list in 2022 as a Rising Star.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Devin to the Sheehey partnership,” states Sheehey’s Managing Partner, Ian Carleton.  “He has exactly the kind of creativity, tenacity, judgment, attention to detail, and most of all moral compass that we look for in new partners.  In some respects, he was qualified to join the partnership from day one.”

Attorney Ian Carleton has been elected as managing director of Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C., replacing David Austin who retired from the practice of law at the end of last year. Austin served as managing director for the past eight years.

Commenting on his retirement, Austin noted, “Like many people, I retire with mixed feelings. I am excited to begin a new chapter in my life. I will also miss working with the smart and committed group of people at Sheehey.”

Carleton joined the firm in February 2003, has been a director and shareholder since 2004, and has served as the firm’s Director of Litigation for the past five years. A graduate of Columbia University (’93) and Yale Law School (’99), Carleton litigates in state and federal courts in Vermont and around the country. He serves on the Vermont Commission on the Well-Being of the Legal Profession, received the Pro Bono Service Award from the Vermont Bar Association in 2019, and has been selected to the New England Super Lawyers list numerous times.

“Sheehey is a creative, flexible, energetic, and fun place to practice law,” Carleton says. “I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to this firm and my wonderful colleagues for the many years of mentoring, support and friendship I have enjoyed with them. As I approach my 20th anniversary at Sheehey, I am excited, honored and more than a little humbled to step into the role of firm manager. I have big shoes to fill with David’s departure.”

Sheehey Furlong & Behm is pleased to announce that Nathaniel D. Eisen has joined the firm as an associate attorney.

Nathaniel earned a B.A. from Stanford, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard, and a J.D. from New York University. Prior to joining the firm, Nathaniel gained experience as a Legal Fellow at the Center for International Environmental Law and a Law Clerk with the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court.

During his time in law school, Nathaniel served as an Online Editor for the NYU Law Review and was a member of the International Law Society and the Global Justice Clinic. He received the Howard Greenberger Award for Work in Comparative Law and graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif.

Nathaniel studied natural resources management in multiple countries during his graduate studies. He has further background in the intersection of international trade and environmental issues, including trade in recyclable materials and regulation of environmental characteristics of imports.

David Austin, Managing Director says, “Nathaniel joins with an impressive academic record and unique and valuable work experience. We greatly look forward to his contributions to the firm in support of our clients, specifically in the areas of general litigation and land use and development.”

About Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C.
With a unique blend of expertise, actionable insight, and unwavering dedication, Sheehey offers legal advice, guidance and support that provides clients with timely and cost-effective solutions. With deep experience in a variety of practice areas, from large transactions to complex litigation, land use planning, sophisticated estate and tax planning, regulatory compliance, and more, Sheehey possesses a singular focus on helping you achieve your legal goals. Learn more at sheeheyvt.com.

Firm Principal Kevin Lumpkin was recently featured in the Vermont Bar Journal’s new segment, Choosing Vermont. The piece focuses on the personal stories of Vermont lawyers, in particular “what it is that brought some of us to this place and why it is the only place many of us would consider living and working.” In the piece, Kevin discusses why he chose to come to – and remain in – Vermont as a non-native of the state, and his experiences working within the Vermont bar. Kevin is a Vermont Bar Association board member and the current president of its Young Lawyers Division.

To view Kevin’s piece and learn more about lawyers who’ve chosen Vermont, access the Summer 2022 edition of the Vermont Bar Journal here.

Firm principal Mark Melendy will be presenting at the 2022 New England Regional Meeting of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel on Monday, September 12^th. Mark will be speaking on recent developments in Trust and Estate Law, including estate tax and property transfer tax, as well as changes in the Vermont Current Use Program. This event runs from Sunday, September 11 – Tuesday, September 13^th in Rockport, Maine, and will feature speakers from across the New England region.

You can learn more about the event and the ACTEC by visiting their website here.

Sheehey Furlong & Behm is proud to sponsor the 2022 LUNAFEST to be held August 5th at The ESSEX Experience. The festival, which features a lineup of groundbreaking short films by and about women, is presented by Vermont Works for Women (VWW), who promote economic justice by advancing gender equity.

LUNAFEST opens at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 5th with a pre-screening event on The Green featuring local vendors, food trucks, a bar, and live music by The Smokey Newfield Project. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for the screenings, which begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the festival can be purchased here.

Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C. is pleased to welcome two new attorneys, Cameron W. Brown and Colette C. Schmidt.

Cameron brings his experience to the firm’s business practice group. He comes to the firm with experience in commercial real estate, entity formations and the purchase and sale of businesses. In addition to these practice areas, he will also focus on banking and finance. Cameron graduated from the Fordham University School of Law and served on the Fordham Urban Law Journal. He also received the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award, cum laude, for his work with Fordham’s criminal defense clinic. Cameron received his B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Colette adds her talents and dedication to the firm’s litigation practice group. She graduated cum laude from Vermont Law School. Colette served as Editor-in-Chief of the Vermont Law Review. She was also a Dean’s Fellow, a member of the National Moot Court Team, a Legal Research Teaching Assistant, and a student ambassador. She received her B.A. from the University of Hartford, graduating magna cum laude and University Honors with Thesis.

Managing Director of the firm David Austin commented, “We are excited to welcome both Cam and Colette to the firm. Their energy and experience offer valuable assets to our business and litigation teams. These two excellent attorneys help us serve our clients with the best insight, guidance and representation available.”

About Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C.
With a unique blend of expertise, actionable insight, and unwavering dedication, Sheehey offers legal advice, guidance and support that provides clients with timely and cost-effective solutions. With deep experience in a variety of practice areas, from large transactions to complex litigation, land use planning, sophisticated estate and tax planning, regulatory compliance, and more, Sheehey possesses a singular focus on helping you achieve your legal goals. Learn more at sheeheyvt.com.

Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C. is pleased to announce that attorneys Walter A. McCarthy and Alexandrea L. Nelson were elected Directors of the firm as of July 1, 2022. “Walter and Alex are both highly talented lawyers who enhance the firm’s ability to serve our clients with excellence, insight and integrity. We feel fortunate to have them join in the ownership and leadership of the firm,” said Managing Director David Austin.
Walter McCarthy joined the firm as an associate in August 2016. Walter’s practice focuses on assisting our business clients with all aspects of their operations, including transactional and corporate matters. He also works with clients in matters involving commercial real estate, banking, finance and estate administration. Prior to joining Sheehey, Walter worked for GE Ventures and the Office of the New York State Attorney General: Real Property Bureau. Walter graduated with honors from Albany Law School.

Alex Nelson joined the firm as an associate in September 2018. Alex focuses her practice on civil and criminal litigation. She has defended clients in matters alleging consumer fraud, medical malpractice, and breach of contract. She has also defended clients in federal court in complex conspiracy investigations involving allegations of homicide and charges of white-collar conduct. Prior to joining the firm, Alex served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Peter W. Hall in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Judge Dee V. Benson and Magistrate Judge Paul M. Warner in the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Alex graduated first in her class and Order of Coif, from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.

About Sheehey Furlong & Behm P.C.
With a unique blend of expertise, actionable insight, and unwavering dedication, Sheehey offers legal advice, guidance and support that provides clients with timely and cost-effective solutions. With deep experience in a variety of practice areas, from large transactions to complex litigation, land use planning, sophisticated estate and tax planning, regulatory compliance, and more, Sheehey possesses a singular focus on helping you achieve your legal goals. Learn more at sheeheyvt.com.

Firm principal Mark Melendy will be presenting on Recent US Case Law and its Potential Impact on the Vermont Trust Code at the Vermont Bar Association Probation and Trust Section CLE on June 22nd, from 1:00-2:15 P.M.

This CLE event runs from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Wednesday as a webinar format, with other speakers including Mathew Getty, Juliana Hoyt, and Andrew Kestner.

You can learn more about the event, including topics of presentation and how to register, here.

Sheehey Furlong & Behm is pleased to congratulate firm partner Justin Brown on his recent graduation from the Vermont Leadership Institute. The Vermont Leadership Institute (VLI) was created by the Snelling Center for Government in 1985. Its goal was to encourage citizen’s enthusiasm and participation in public service. The Institute provides participants with the information, tools, and inspiration that enable them to make even greater contributions to their organizations, communities, and to Vermont itself.

The VLI is an intensive program which consists of eight overnight sessions and nineteen seminar days between the months of September and June. The sessions are each held in a different region of the state, conveying a sense of the rich historic, geographic, and cultural diversity of Vermont.

The VLI graduation occurred on June 4th of this year. Please join us in congratulating Justin and all of the 2022 Vermont Leadership Institute graduates.