Paul Frank + Collins Welcomes Allen D. Webster

February, 2012 - Paul Frank + Collins is pleased to announce that Allen D. Webster, CPA, of South Burlington has joined the firm as Of Counsel to work on the firm’s Business Services + Taxation, Commercial Finance and Trusts + Estates teams.  Attorney Webster is a cum laude graduate of Cornell Law School and holds an MBA Degree from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College.   A licensed Certified Public Accountant, he also holds a LLM degree in taxation from Boston University School of Law.  He comes to PF+C following many years of practice at Lisman, Webster & Leckerling, P.C.

Mr. Webster’s corporate and commercial law practice work focuses on tax matters, including mergers, acquisitions and the sale of businesses.  He also advises individual clients on a broad range of tax related matters and represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service and the Tax Court.  A significant portion of Mr. Webster’s practice is devoted to sophisticated estate planning, including planning with the use of revocable and irrevocable trusts and partnerships.  He has lectured extensively on estate planning and tax matters throughout the United States and Canada. 

Mr. Webster has been a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel since 1997 and currently serves as Vermont State chairperson.  He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in editions of The Best Lawyers of America since 2003, and has been acknowledged in New England Super Lawyers in the area of Trust and Estates since 2006.  He served as an officer of the American Association of Attorney Certified Public Accountants for five years and held the position of President in 2000.  He is currently a director of the Association and also Trustee of the Attorney-CPA Foundation.

PF+C Director and Vice-President, John Draper said, “We are very pleased and excited to have Allen join us at PF+C.  His expertise and many years of experience in estate planning, taxation and commercial law make him a superb addition to our firm.  Allen has been widely recognized as an exceptional lawyer in his fields of practice, and will fit in perfectly with our very talented team.”

Mr. Webster commented, “I was thrilled to be offered the position at PF+C.  I already knew quite a bit about the firm from my prior practice in Burlington and from my good friend of 35 years, Alan Port.  My first five weeks here have been great.  Everyone here has been friendly and helpful and the work environment is very professional.  I know I am going to enjoy practicing here.”

 David M. Pocius and Peter J. McDougall Become Directors at Paul Frank + Collins

January, 2012 - Paul Frank + Collins is pleased to announce that David M. Pocius of Burlington and Peter J. McDougall of South Burlington have become shareholders and directors of the firm.

 Attorney McDougall is a member of the Captive, Business Services, and Insurance law teams at Paul Frank + Collins.  His practice involves advising clients in the captive insurance industry regarding regulatory compliance, entity structure and corporate governance.  Mr. McDougall also assists clients on general business matters and on issues involving various aspects of the financial services industry.  He received an LL.M. from the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Services Law at Boston University, his J.D. from Vermont Law School and his B.S. degree from the University of Vermont. He is admitted to practice in both Massachusetts and Vermont. As an active member of the community, McDougall is currently the president of the Champlain Community Services Board of Directors which he has served on since 2007, as well as a member the of the Government Affairs Committee of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce.

 Attorney Pocius’s practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation and medical malpractice defense.  He is also a member of the property and development and employment law teams.  Mr. Pocius received his J.D. from Vermont Law School and his B.S. degree in Biology from Emory University.  Before coming to PF+C, Mr. Pocius was a Judicial Law Clerk with the State of Vermont.   He is an experienced litigator with trial experience stretching from state and federal courts in Vermont and New York to Colorado and the Northern District of Illinois.  He is admitted to practice in the States of New York and Vermont; the federal courts of Vermont, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, and Connecticut; and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Pocius is also active in the community and presently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Linking Learning to Life, as well as a member of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival Advisory Board.

 President S. Crocker Bennett said of Pocius and McDougall, “Over the years they have been with us both Dave and Pete have shown themselves to be fine lawyers, accommodating and helpful associates and strong team players. We will be a better firm with Dave and Pete serving as Directors.”

Seven PF+C Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers^® 2012

January, 2012 - Seven lawyers from Paul Frank + Collins P.C. were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 (Copyright 2012) by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.) for the following practice areas:

S. Crocker Bennett, II Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation

Robert G. Cain Workers’ Compensation law

Peter M. Collins Real Estate Law

Gail Haefner Straith Corporate Law, Banking, Intellectual Property and Mergers & Acquisitions Law

Kerin E. Stackpole Employment and Labor Law

Alan D. Port Trusts and Estate

John T. Sartore Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation, Professional Malpractice law and Securities law.

Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.  Because Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 39,000 leading attorneys cast almost 3.1 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.  Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers® “the most respected referral list of attorneys in the practice.”   Steven Naifeh, Managing Editor of Best Lawyers, says, "We continue to believe - as we have believed for more than 25 years - that recognition by one's peers is the most meaningful form of recognition in the legal profession."

 Douglas W. Stahl Joins Paul Frank + Collins as Chief Operating Officer

December, 2011 - Paul Frank + Collins is pleased to announce that Douglas W. Stahl, CPA has joined the Burlington, Vermont law firm as its first Chief Operating Officer.  Mr. Stahl comes to PF+C from Canfield, Ohio where he worked for 13 years as Chief Financial Officer and Firm Administrator for the CPA firm of Hill, Barth, and King LLC (“HBK”).  At HBK he was responsible for all activities surrounding firm administration, financial reporting, and office operations management.

Before joining HBK, Mr. Stahl held positions as Staff Auditor for Arthur Anderson and as an Accounting Manager at Simon DeBartolo Group, Inc.  In his role as CFO and Firm Administrator at HBK he worked closely with the COO, CEO, and members of the Executive Committee.  There he directly managed the Accounting Group, indirectly managed IT employees and assisted the Human Resource department in the administration of benefits programs and employee issues.

Paul Frank + Collins is in a period of growth and transition with the hiring of new lawyers and the retirement of the firm’s long-time Financial Manager, Arliene Torre.  PF+C President, S. Crocker Bennett said, “We were fortunate to find Doug, who has the experience in the professional services industry that we need.  We are eager to have him bring his experience to bear on our operations and financial systems.”

Mr. Stahl received his BSBA in Accounting from Youngstown State University in 1987 as well as his AAS in Aircraft Power Plant Technology.  He is retired Captain of the United States Air Force Reserve and a member of the Reserve Officers Association.  He is also a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and of the Association for Accounting Administration.

PF+C Employees Whoop it up for a Good Cause

December, 2011 - The 2011 United Way Campaign held by the employees of the Vermont law firm of Paul Frank + Collins raised over $18,000 with 93% employee participation this year during its United Way of Chittenden County annual Community Campaign.  With this year’s theme of “Working Wonders Together” the firm-wide fundraising effort raised awareness among lawyers, staff and paralegals about the United Way and its 60 programs and 30 member agencies. Charitable giving was promoted through a series of fun and competitive events held throughout the week.  The campaign was wrapped up with the much anticipated annual Balloon Pop Party where employees were rewarded for their charity and participation.

The firm's campaign was led by its Records Manager, Brooke Odell who had help from a committee of six employees, including Office Manager Cynthia Goodrich (the United Way’s 2010 KeyPerson of the Year).  Firm President, Crocker Bennett said of the campaign, "Our United Way Campaign continues to be a success not only for our local community, but for our own office community as well.  The United Way Campaign week gives us a chance to come together for some lighthearted competition and fun.  We do a lot of good and we have a good time doing it."

While employee pledges to the United Way comprised the largest portion of the total donation, the annual silent auction event was a great success that generated over $1,300 on its own.  PF+C gratefully acknowledges the following businesses for their donations to our United Way Silent Auction:

Five PF+C Attorneys Selected for New England Super Lawyers 2011

November, 2011 - Paul Frank + Collins directors Robert G. Cain, Mark G. Hall, Alan D. Port, and John T. Sartore, along with firm President S. Crocker Bennett have been recognized as five of New England’s top attorneys in the 2011 issue of New England Super Lawyers.

The New England Super Lawyers features the top five percent of attorneys from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  The selection process includes peer nominations, a blue ribbon panel review and additional independent research of the candidate.  

PF+C Director Christoper J. Leff was also selected as a New England Rising Star of 2011.  The Rising Stars list compiled by Super Lawyers serves to recognize top up-and-coming attorneys in the state who are under the age of forty or who have been practicing for ten years or less.  

 S. Crocker Bennett Appointed Vermont State Chair for the American College of Trial Lawyers

October, 2011:  Paul Frank + Collins President, S. Crocker Bennett, II, has been named as Chair of the Vermont State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers (“ACTL”) of which he has been a Fellow since 1999.  The ACTL, founded in 1950, is composed of the trial bar from the U.S. and Canada.   Fellowship is extended by invitation, only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.

As Chair of the Vermont State Committee, Attorney Bennett will be responsible for directing the committee’s work in considering the qualifications of prospective new members, as well as its participation in educational activities such as teaching trial skills to public interest lawyers and teaching the College’s Codes of Conduct to judges, lawyers, and law students.

Jack Sartore, former PF+C president and Chair of the Vermont State Committee of the ACTL from 2004-2007, said of Bennett, “Crocker is a pre-eminent trial lawyer with a track record that is virtually unparalleled. He has a deep understanding of the challenges facing today's trial bar and I expect he will make a major contribution in passing on the Vermont tradition of excellence in the courtroom.”

Mr. Bennett has tried many personal injury and product liability cases to verdict in most of the Vermont trial courts, both state and federal. Although the majority of his work presently consists of representing hospitals, physician practice groups and individual health care providers in medical malpractice cases, he has represented plaintiffs in significant personal injury cases.

Employment + Labor Lawyer Kerin Stackpole Joins PF+C

September, 2011 - Paul Frank + Collins is pleased to announce that Kerin E. Stackpole, SPHR has joined the firm as Of Counsel to lead the firm’s Labor + Employment Law practice.  Attorney Stackpole comes to PF+C from Bergeron, Paradis & Fitzpatrick, LLP where her practice focused on advising and supporting senior business leaders and all levels of management in a full range of employee and labor relations issues. 

 Ms. Stackpole is an experienced litigator and a skilled teacher.  She has taught at the law schools of Catholic University of America and The American University, as well as at the University of Vermont and Champlain College. Ms. Stackpole regularly designs and presents training programs for businesses seeking to strengthen the skills of their management team. She is a regularly featured speaker for state and local human resource associations, Lorman Educational Services and the Champlain College Management Excellence Series.  She holds a certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and has been recognized by her peers for her skill in labor and employment law through inclusion in Chambers & Partners (USA) and Best Lawyers of America.

Ms. Stackpole is an honors graduate of the Washington College of Law, American University, where she was awarded the International Academy of Trial Lawyers’ Advocacy Award for Outstanding Ability in Courtroom Advocacy.  She has a B.A. in History from Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts.

PF+C President, S. Crocker Bennett said, “Kerin is an experienced labor and employment lawyer who has counseled many of the best businesses in the region. She enjoys an excellent reputation. We look forward to having her help the Firm’s clients with their employment issues.”

Financial Centres International Publishes Peter McDougall's Captive Insurance Article

September, 2011: Peter J. McDougall’s article entitled “Captive Insurance Industry is a Significant Contributor to Vermont Economy” was published in the September, 2011 issue of Financial Centres International, a Dublin, Ireland publication that covers developments in the financial services industry. Attorney McDougall’s article can be viewed here.   Mr. McDougall is an associate in the Captive Insurance, Corporate and Insurance law teams at PF+C, with a focus on financial and business services.  

 PF+C:  Lawyers and Educators at VCIA Conference

August, 2011 - The Vermont Captive Insurance Association’s (VCIA) Annual Conference, which is the largest captive education and networking event in the world, was held this month in Burlington. New to this year’s schedule of seminars was the “Captive Board Member Boot Camp.”  Speaking at the seminar on the topic of good corporate governance was VCIA member and past chair of the VCIA Legislative Committee, attorney Stephanie J. Mapes.  Co-presenters included Paula Cope, Kevin Kinross and Anne Marie Towle.  Ms. Mapes has 23 years of captive insurance experience through her work at Paul Frank + Collins where she is a Member of the firm.  She will take over leadership of the firm’s Captive Insurance team following Alan Port’s retirement in spring of 2012.  Ms. Mapes has presented at seminars and served on panels on numerous occasions and continues to serve on the faculty of the International Center for Captive Insurance Education (ICCIE) where she teaches a course on risk retention groups.  

PF+C lawyer, Peter J. McDougall co-coordinated a seminar at the VCIA Conference entitled, “Fronting Arrangements – the Science of Success.” The well attended seminar focused on giving captive owners the tools they need to review and analyze fronting agreements.  Moderating for that seminar was PF+C attorney and member, William D. Riley.  Mr. Riley, who also serves as a member of the board of directors of VCIA, said of the program, “the panel was very pleased with the large number of seminar attendees.  Establishing and maintaining healthy fronting relationships is critical to the success of many captive programs.  My colleagues on the panel, who are among the most experienced professionals in the industry, did a fantastic job in sharing good, practical advice with the attendees.” 

The captive insurance attorneys at Paul Frank + Collins advise clients in the captive insurance industry about issues associated with entity structures, governance, insurance programs, policy drafting, and insurance/reinsurance transactions.   The PF+C lawyers have extensive knowledge about risk retention groups, claims management, coverage analysis and all things captive, as the firm has had lawyers practicing in this specialized area of law since the inception of captives in Vermont 30 years ago.