Full Bio

Ms. Kirkpatrick concentrates in trial work and dispute resolution. Her trial work experience is broad and covers personal injury and product liability, commercial and bankruptcy litigation, worker's compensation, and family law. She also does appellate work in the Vermont Supreme Court, and has expertise in immigration law.

Ms. Kirkpatrick was a director of a mid-size, well established law firm from 1990 -2006. She started her own firm with Mr. Goldsborough in 2006. Her clients are mostly individuals, although these individuals often have closely held companies. She has conducted in excess of 50 trials to verdict or final decision in the Vermont district and superior courts, the Vermont federal district court and bankruptcy court. She has handled many successful appeals in the Vermont Supreme Court. Her dispute resolution experience includes mediation and arbitration, having successfully completed a certification from Harvard Law School. She is a former Co-Chair of the Vermont Bar Association Tort Liability Committee.

Before coming to Vermont, Ms. Kirkpatrick was a litigation associate at a Wall Street Firm, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen. She also was a law clerk intern for the Honorable William M. Hoeveler, United States District Court, S. D. Florida, while a third year law student. Ms. Kirkpatrick has been actively involved in pro bono defense of death row inmates, and received the Thurgood Marshall Award from the Association of the Bar of the City of New York in April 1998. She was part of the successful litigation team for the Haitian Refugees in the United States Supreme Court in 1982-1984.

Lisman, Webster, Kirkpatrick & Leckerling, P.C., Burlington, VT, 1984 to 1996. Shareholder since January 1990. Firm grew from 5 lawyers to 11 lawyers. Primarily practices litigation in the areas of personal injury, commercial disputes, family law, workman's compensation, and selective malpractice.

f ried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, New York, NY, 1981 to 1984. Associate. Litigation experience included tender offers, acquisitions, commercial litigation and products liability defense. Pro bono activities included Haitian class-actions from the Southern District of Florida, and Florida death penalty litigation.

Honorable 'fNilliam M. Hoeveler, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami, FL, January to May 1981. Law Clerk Intern.

William P. Cagney, Esq., Miami, FL, Summer 1979 to January 1981. Law clerk in criminal defense practice.

Bradford, Williams, McKay, Kimbell, Hamann, Jennings and Kniskern, P.A., Miami, FL, 1978. Law clerk for insurance defense firm.

Completed Degrees

University of Miami School of Law, Miami, FL (J.D., Cum Laude, 1981) Rank top 10%; attained Dean's list each semester; Third place, National Moot Court, Fall 1980; Am. Jur. Book Award, Property, 1979.

Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT (B.A., Cum Laude, 1978) English Department Honors; Gollege Scholar; Dean's List each semester; Judicial Council, Chairman, 1977/78.

Teaching

• Business Valuation in Family Law (Burlington, VT 1995)

• Damages in the Significant Personal Injury Case (1994, Moderator, w/Attorneys Manchester, Lamb, Zawistoski, Saxer, Kellner, and Barra)

• Personal Injury (Lorman, 1993, w/Honorable Matthew I. Katz, and Attorneys Luce and Spink)

• Evidence In Trial Practice (NBI, June 1992, w/Attorney Spink)

• Personal Injury Practice (NBI, 1990, 1988 w/Attorneys Heath, Parker and McCormick)

Publications

T. Corrigan and M. Gilmore, The Second Circuit Review-1982-1983 Term: Immigration Law Commentary, Collateral Attacks on Deportation Orders: the Second Circuit Banishes the Ghost of Spector, 50 Brooklyn Law Review (Summer 1984)

Community Service

Board member, Mad River Glen Cooperative (1995-2001). Officer positions included president, vice president and secretary of Ski area cooperative with more than 1200 members. Service has included numerous committee memberships.

School Board Director, Town of Shelburne, 1998-2003, including former vice-chair . Board member, Chittenden South Supervisory School District Board, 1998 -2003.

Personal

Mother of 3 adult children.

Interests include reading for pleasure, the outdoors, and travel.

Ms. Kirkpatrick was born and raised in South Florida and continues to make frequent visits there.

Areas of Practice

• Trial Work
• Dispute Resolution

Litigation Percentage

• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 1981
• New York, 1982
• Vermont, 1984
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1984
• U.S. District Court District of Vermont, 1984
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1982
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1982
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1981

Education

• University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida
  • J.D. cum laude - 1981
  • Honors: Rank top 10%
  • Honors: Attained Dean's list each semester
  • Honors: Third place, National Moot Court, Fall 1980
  • Honors: Am. Jur. Book Award, Property, 1979
• Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont
  • B.A. cum laude - 1978
  • Honors: English Department Honors
  • Honors: College Scholar
  • Honors: Dean's List each semester
  • Honors: Judicial Council, Chairman, 1977/78

Published Works

• T. Corrigan and M. Gilmore, The Second Circuit Review-1982-1983 Term: Immigration Law Commentary, Collateral Attacks on Deportation Orders: the Second Circuit Banishes the Ghost of Spector, 50 Brooklyn Law Review, Summer, 1984

Representative Cases

• Osborn v. Osborn, 519 A.2d 1161 (Vt. 1986)

Classes/Seminars

• Business Valuation in Family Law (Burlington, VT 1995)
• Damages in the Significant Personal Injury Case (1994, Moderator, w/Attorneys Manchester, Lamb, Zawistoski, Saxer, Kellner, and Barra)
• Personal Injury (Lorman, 1993, w/Honorable Matthew I. Katz, and Attorneys Luce and Spink)
• Evidence In Trial Practice (NBI, June 1992, w/Attorney Spink)
• Personal Injury Practice (NBI, 1990, 1988 w/Attorneys Heath, Parker and McCormick)

Honors and Awards

• New England Super Lawyers Magazine, 2015, 2016: Personal Injury
• Super Lawyer, 2015, 2016: Personal Injury-General; Plaintiff Lawyer
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer
• American Jurisprudence Book Award, Property, 1979
• Thurgood Marshall Award, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 1998 - Present

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Vermont Bar Association, Member, 1984 - Present
• Vermont Bar Association, Tort Liability Committee, Chair, 1990 - 1991
• Vermont Bar Association, Tort Liability Committee, Chair, 1999 - 2000
• Vermont Bar Association, Tort Liability Committee, Co-Chair, 1991 - 1992
• Vermont Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 1996 - Present
• Chittenden County Bar Association, Member, 1984 - Present
• American Bar Association, Member, 1992 - Present
• New York State Bar Association, Member, 1981 - Present
• Florida Bar Association, Member, 1981 - Present
• American Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 1986 - Present
• American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member, 1982 - Present
• American Judicature Society, Member, 1990 - Present

Past Employment Positions

• Judge Wm. H. Hoeveler, U.S. District Court, S.D. of Fla., Law Clerk Intern, 1980
• Lisman, Webster, Kirkpatrick & Leckerling, P.C., Shareholder, 1984 - 1996
• Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, New York, NY, Associate, 1981 - 1984
• William P. Cagney, Esq., Miami, FL, Law Clerk, 1979 - 1981
• Bradford, Williams, McKay, Kimbell, Hamann, Jennings and Kniskern, P.A., Miami, FL, Law Clerk, 1978

Pro Bono Activities

• Board member, Mad River Glen Cooperative, 1995 - 2001
• School Board Director, Town of Shelburne, 1998 - 2003
• Board member, Chittenden South Supervisory School District Board, 1998 - 2003