Rounds, Relationships, and Referrals: the Benefits of the Vba's New Lawyer Incubator Project

• Jurisdiction: United States,Federal
• Publication year: 2023
• Citation: Vol. 48 No. 4 Pg. 38
• Pages: 38

Rounds, Relationships, and Referrals: The Benefits of the VBA's New Lawyer Incubator Project Vol. 48 No. 4 Pg. 38 Vermont Bar Journal January 2023

by Kassie Tibbott, Esq.

I joined the sixth class of the VBA's New Lawyer Incubator Project (NLIP) in 2019, back when we still met clients in their homes, attended court in person for hearings, and gathered at offices for meetings. At that time, I had never used WebEx and didn't have a ZOOM account.

In my NLIP interview, I shared my story of falling in love with Vermont and then falling in love in Vermont after working at the Barnard General Store on the weekends during law school. (As my partner likes to say, you really can get everything at the general store in town!) In addition to meeting my partner there, I also met local residents – and now friends – who often shared the day-today legal issues they faced. From the flower farmer who wanted to understand tax deductions to the widow who needed to update her will, I quickly learned that these small transactions make a large difference in the lives of fellow rural Vermonters. And while settling down in this rural area wasn't my initial plan, it was my reality when I was admitted to the Vermont Bar in fall 2018. Six months later, I read about the NLIP on the VBA's website.

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