Director of Administration David Gile has retired after more than 20 years at Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC. The firm’s director of finance, Linda Copson, will assume the position of chief operating officer. Terri L. Schoolcraft of Peacham has joined the firm as financial director. The changes, effective on January 1, were announced this week by DRM Managing Partner Paul H. Ode, Jr.
“We extend our appreciation and best wishes to David, who has served this firm well for so many years,” Ode said. “David has earned the respect and friendship of every employee who has worked with him, along with many of the firm’s clients and vendors. We will greatly miss his considerable skills and his steady hand.
“At the same time, we are promoting from within and reaching into our community to maintain a strong administrative team,” Ode continued. “We know of Linda’s capabilities first-hand from the work she has done here over the past six years, and we are fortunate to attract Terri to the firm.”
Gile first joined DRM in 1983 as the firm’s financial manager. He performed a number of different jobs at the firm, and also worked in accounting and finance at several other Vermont businesses before rejoining DRM as the director of administration in 1993. In this role, Gile oversaw all financial matters and staffing, as well as administrative functions ranging from maintenance of the firm’s facilities and equipment to billing, personnel management and information systems. His role grew as DRM expanded from twelve attorneys in two offices to its present size with six offices. He supervised construction of the firm’s Burlington office in 1987, managed the complete renovation of historic buildings in Brattleboro and St. Johnsbury and oversaw recent expansions in Montpelier and Lebanon. In 2005, he was selected to receive DRM’s highly regarded Diane Lynch Distinguished Service Award.
Copson brought more than 20 years of progressively complex experience in business management to the role of director of finance when she joined the firm in 2006. Areas of developed expertise include financial management, financial analysis, budget development and management, cost management, computer systems evaluation and development and operations management. Previously employed by a multi-national manufacturer, she also led an effort to establish financial management and reporting relationships between the United States and Mexico. She has applied skills she developed in the manufacturing world to the financial aspects of running an increasingly complex regional law firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colby Sawyer College, an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and the certified legal manager designation from the Association of Legal Administrators.
Schoolcraft brings many years of accounting and financial experience to DRM, most recently working for Weidmann Electrical Technologies in St. Johnsbury. Before joining Weidman, Schoolcraft was a vice president and controller at the Cabot Creamery Cooperative in Montpelier, which was a key position among Cabot’s senior staff. She holds an associate’s degree in accounting from Champlain College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Vermont.
Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC is a full-service law firm with more than 60 attorneys and six offices in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. DRM provides legal services to local, national and international clients in practice areas that include bankruptcy and business restructuring, corporate and commercial law, captive insurance, energy, health law, intellectual property , labor and employment, litigation, real estate and land use, environmental law, tax law, telecommunications, family law, and trusts and estates. The firm represents clients in legislative, regulatory and public affairs through the Government and Public Affairs group. DRM is the law firm member for Vermont of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms.