Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced today that he will appoint attorney Brian Valentine, presently of the Burlington law firm Mickenberg, Dunn, Lachs & Smith, PLC, as Magistrate Judge of the Family Division of Vermont’s Superior Courts. Valentine fills the seat left open by the retirement of Magistrate Judge Shelley Gartner.
Brian Valentine’s practice has centered on family law, including collaborative divorce, since 1995. Prior to joining his current firm, Valentine practiced at the Burlington firms of Little & Cicchetti and Downs Rachlin Martin. He currently chairs the Collaborative Law Section of the Vermont Bar Association, and volunteers in the Chittenden Family Court as a guardian ad litem and as an instructor of the pro se divorce education course. He has been appointed by the Vermont Supreme Court as the Family Bar’s representative to the Vermont Council on Domestic Violence since 2012.
Before relocating to Vermont in 2000, Valentine practiced in Bellingham, Washington, where he focused on general litigation, estate planning, and advising small businesses. He also worked as lead staff attorney for a non-profit organization that represented victims of domestic violence.
“Brian’s passion for helping Vermonters faced with the difficult circumstances of family court litigation, combined with his thoughtful demeanor, strong intellect, and range of experience will serve the Vermont Judiciary very well,” said Shumlin.
“As a family lawyer, I have always derived great satisfaction in assisting my clients in navigating through difficult patches of road in their lives. As a Family Division Magistrate, I look forward to being of broader service to Vermonters, treating them with dignity, listening to their voices, and being fair and clear in making decisions that impact their families,” said Valentine.
Kirstin Schoonover
Valentine is a graduate of Fordham Law School and Fordham University. He has been an active member and officer/EMT in the Huntington Volunteer Fire Department since 2005. He has served as a youth soccer coach and Assistant Scout Master with the Boy Scouts. He is married to Kirstin Schoonover, whom the governor appointed to the Vermont trial bench earlier this week.
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Source: Governor 8.6.2015