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Employment Statistics
The following statistics are designed to provide an overview of the work our students pursue. If you have questions about anything that follows or about your particular situation, please contact the Office of Career Services at 802-831-1243 and we will be glad to talk with you.
Overall Employment Rate
90.8 percent of the Class of 2006 were employed or in a degree program within 9 months of graduation.
Employment by Job Type
Most VLS students begin their careers in full-time legal or law-related positions and, as the following chart illustrates, they are evenly spread across a range of positions, including law firm associates, judicial law clerks, legislative aides, government specialists and environmental advocates.
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Class of 2006 Salary Data
| Average Salary | Maximum Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| Private Law Firms | $57,500 | $125,000 |
| Businesses | $53,800 | $70,000 |
| Government | $43,000 | $60,000 |
| Public Interest/Non-Profit | $42,500 | $73,000 |
| Overall | $48,900 |
Employment by Location
VLS students annually take the bar exam in 35 different states and, while many students begin theircareers in the East, there is considerable interest each year in the Pacific Northwest, the RockyMountain states, the Bay Area, Alaska, and Chicago. Chances are quite good that wherever you arelooking there is a VLS graduate already there paving the way.
| Class of 2006 | Class of 2005 | Class of 2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England (CT,ME,MA,NH,RI,VT) | 40.3% | 47.4% | 41.9% |
| Mid-Atlantic (NY,NJ,PA) | 11.1% | 11.3% | 7.3% |
| East North Central (IL,IN,MI,OH,WI) | 6.3% | 3.8% | 6.6% |
| West North Central (IA,KS,MN,MO,NE,ND,SD) | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| So. Atlantic (DE,DC,FL,GA,MD,NC,SC,VA,WV) | 22.3% | 14.3% | 19.8% |
| East South Central (AL,KY,MS,TN) | 1.4% | 0.8% | 4.5% |
| West South Central (AR,LA,OK,TX) | 0.0% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Mountain (AZ,CO,ID,MT,NV,NM,UT,WY) | 3.4% | 11.2% | 4.5% |
| Pacific (AK,CA,HI,OR,WA) | 13.8% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| International | 0.7% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
More than just a statistic…
The best way to learn about the careers of recent VLS graduates is to see what they do. Here is asmall sample of where some graduates from the past two years are working.
National and Regional Law Firms
- Beveridge & Diamond, Washington, D.C.
- Hartman Simons Spielman & Wood, Atlanta, Ga.
- Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Chicago, Ill.
- Drummond & Drummond, Portland, Maine
- Perkins Thompson, Portland, Maine
- LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae, Boston, Mass.
- Warner Norcross & Judd, Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Blanco Tackaberry Combs & Matamoras, Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Devine Millimet, Concord, N.H.
- McLane Graf, Manchester, N.H.
- Downs Rachlin & Martin, Burlington, Vt.
- Paul Frank & Collins, Burlington, Vt.
- Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer, Burlington, Vt.
- Jackson Kelly, Charleston, W.Va.
Judicial Clerkships
- Graduates are clerking in the federal courts in Arizona, DC, Maine, Pennsylvania,and Vermont.
- Graduates are clerking in the following state courts: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado,Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, Vermont,Virginia, and West Virginia.
Fellowships
- Environmental Law and Policy Center, Chicago, Ill.
- Fulbright Scholarship, Uruguay
- Presidential Management Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
Public Interest/Non-profit Organizations
- Grameen Foundation USA, Washington, D.C.
- Nantucket AIDS Network, Nantucket, Mass.
- Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, Vt.
- Have Justice Will Travel, Chelsea, Vt.
- Legal Aid/Legal Services – Recent graduates are working for legal services organizations in New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Vermont.
- Public Defenders – Recent graduates are working in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Government
Federal
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.
- NOAA Office of General Counsel for International Law, Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Department of State, Office of Diplomatic Security, Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Washington, D.C.
State
- Alaska Legislative Affairs Office
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- New York City Law Department
- Vermont Attorney General’s Office
- Vermont Legislative Council
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality