Eric Avildsen, executive director of Vermont Legal Aid since 1988, has announced his intention to retire at the end of October. Under Avildsen's direction, the size of staff and breadth of legal work undertaken has increased significantly.
"Eric is certainly leaving the organization stronger than ever," said board chair Robert Appel, who has served with Avildsen for the past 10 years. "It’s a privilege to count him as both a colleague and a friend.”
Avildsen has dedicated his entire career to working in legal services, first as a VISTA attorney focused on utility law, then at Central Massachusetts Legal Services in Worcester, MA, as a poverty law staff attorney and managing attorney, before coming to Vermont. He has a law degree from Franklin Pierce Law School at the University of New Hampshire.
"I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do a job I love, working side by side with such wonderful people," Avildsen said. "VLA did an incredible job helping Vermont’s most vulnerable people through the pandemic and continues to be a very healthy and strong organization. The time is right to bring in new leadership to help VLA define its next chapter.”
A search committee composed of board members and representatives of the staff has begun the process of identifying Avildsen's successor, in partnership with Patricia Pap, the executive director at Management Information Exchange.