News

Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer is pleased to announce the addition of three new attorneys: Leo Bisson, Greg Clayton and Greg Eaton.

Leo Bisson is based in our Montpelier, Vermont office. He has over 30 years of litigation and trial experience in Vermont state and federal courts. In recent years Leo has served as a mediator and arbitrator on a regular basis. His primary practice areas are tort defense, insurance coverage, professional responsibility and alternative dispute resolution. His tort work includes products defense, wrongful death and carbon monoxide exposure. Leo's insurance coverage work focuses on environmental contamination, construction defect and reinsurance issues. His experience includes over 50 jury trials.

Greg Clayton is based in our new Littleton, New Hampshire office. He is a litigator who has practiced over twenty-five years. His trial practice extends throughout the state and federal courts in both New Hampshire and Vermont and is focused on insurance coverage, commercial litigation, personal injury, product liability, environmental liability and insurance coverage matters. Greg also serves as private and court-appointed mediator in both New Hampshire and Vermont, and has mediated over eighty cases. He has been a guest lecturer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Arson Fraud Investigation Seminar, the Vermont Bar Association Insurance Law Committee, the New Hampshire Adjuster's Association and the Vermont Claims Seminar. Greg has been a member of the Vermont Bar Association's Professional Responsibility Committee since 1985 and serves on the Grafton County Superior Court Advisory Committee. He is also admitted to practice in Maine.

Greg Eaton is also based in our Littleton, New Hampshire office. He has been a trial attorney since 1993. His practice includes the state and federal courts of Vermont and New Hampshire, with a focus on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, personal injury, commercial and employment litigation. Greg serves as a court-appointed mediator for the New Hampshire Superior Court, and is the past president of the Grafton County Bar Association. He has served on the New Hampshire Bar Association Committee on Professionalism and on the Board of Governors of the New Hampshire Bar Association. Greg has lectured regularly on issues of insurance coverage, insurance claims handling and professional ethics and responsibility. He is also admitted to practice in Massachusetts.

The firm is pleased to announce that on January 1, 2008, Keith Roberts and Rusty Young became Directors and Shareholders of the firm.

Keith has been with the firm since 2004. He practices in the areas of corporate law, health law and commercial transactions. Keith regularly advises both for-profit and non-profit entities in transactional, regulatory and governance matters with a particular emphasis in the health care area. Keith holds a B.A. from Williams College and a J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law.

Rusty has been with the firm since 2001. He represents and advises single parent and group captive insurance companies in planning, formation, operation and dissolution. He provides corporate and regulatory counsel for financial service companies, business corporations, and non-profits outside the captive area. Rusty graduated from Dartmouth College and magna cum laude from Vermont Law School.

We are also pleased to announce that Shireen Hart is now Of Counsel to the firm. Shireen has been with the firm since 2000 and her primary areas of practice include commercial and civil litigation, bankruptcy and health care law. She provides regular representation to Chapter 7 and 11 Case Trustees in Vermont and the Northern District of New York. Shireen also works with hospitals in matters regarding medical staff relations, emergency planning, regulatory compliance and related policies. Shireen graduated from William & Mary School of Law (J.D.) and has an undergraduate degree in French and Spanish from Middlebury College, cum laude, with a concentration in corporate finance.

The firm is pleased to announce the hiring of Mandy Rosenfeld as an Associate with the firm. Mandy, a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Middlebury College (in 1998), and of Boston College Law School (in 2002), primarily practices in the areas of health care and employment law. She was most recently Assistant Director at the New England Office of the Anti-Defamation League and previously was an employment law and general litigation associate in Boston.

We are also pleased to announce the hiring of Amy Mason, our newest Government Relations Specialist. She is involved in tracking legislation and advocating on behalf of the firm's clients before the Vermont Legislature. Amy graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and English. Amy has spent time in Washington, D.C. working as a State Relations and Grassroots Coordinator for a national trade association. She also spent several years interning for former United States Senator James Jeffords. Immediately prior to joining the firm, Amy worked as the manager of legal recruiting for two prominent firms in Boston and Washington, D.C.

The firm is proud to announce that 9 of its attorneys have been once again selected for inclusion in the 2008 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, as follows: Jon Eggleston (Tax Law, Trusts and Estates), Anne Cramer (Health Care Law), Denise Deschenes (Banking Law), Bill Piper (Energy Law), Steve Reynes (Environmental Law), Gail Westgate (Banking Law), Doug Wolinsky (Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law), Victoria Brown (Energy Law), and Neil Wheelwright (Real Estate Law).

The firm is pleased to announce that two of its attorneys are listed in the 2007 edition of Super Lawyers, as follows: Anne Cramer (Health Care, Employment & Labor), and Doug Wolinsky (Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, Banking, Intellectual Property).

On August 8, 2007, Jeff Johnson received a 2007 Industry Service Award from the Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA) in recognition of his career-long commitment to the growth and vitality of the captive insurance industry within the State of Vermont. Jeff and two other recipients were praised for their 20 years of service and industry leadership. The award was presented as part of the Opening General Session of the VCIA's annual conference at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington, Vermont. 

In May 2007, Gary Franklin was elected to a one-year term as President of the Chittenden County Bar Association.

The firm is pleased to announce that several of its attorneys are ranked among the top commercial lawyers in Vermont in The Chambers USA Guide, as follows: Jeff Johnson (Corporate/Commercial: Captive Insurance), Jon Eggleston (Corporate/Commercial), Gary Franklin (Litigation: General Commercial), Steve Reynes (Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use), and Neil Wheelwright (Real Estate).

Doug Wolinsky recently attended the Advanced Licensing Institute at Franklin Pierce Law Center. The curriculum at the one week Institute focused on licensing and technology transfers. Doug is a member of the firm's Intellectual Property and Technology practice.

Jim Clemons and Rusty Young were panelists in educational seminars at the 25th Annual Vermont Captive Insurance Association ("VCIA") Conference, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington, Vermont on August 8-10, 2006. Jim provided an overview of the U.S. Government Accountability Office's Report on the implementation of the Liability Risk Retention Act and the Report's potential impact on risk retention groups. Rusty provided practical guidance regarding various corporate governance and legal aspects of group captives. For more information regarding the VCIA, or its annual conference, please visit the VCIA website at http://www.vcia.com/.

On June 2, 2006, the firm won its second summary judgment on behalf of CPA Mutual Insurance Company of America Risk Retention Group in insurance coverage litigation pending in the federal court for the Northern District of Texas. In this case, the auditor of a bankrupt securities broker was being sued for some $25 Million in defalcations that the auditor failed to detect, and the plaintiffs and the auditor both sued the auditor's insurer, seeking coverage for the entire amount of damages.  The insurer maintained that only one year's insurance policy applied, and that a "per claim" sub limit of $2 Million is the limit of its coverage.  Bankruptcy Court Judge Bill Parker issued an advisory decision to the District Court, recommending summary judgment for CPA Mutual, finding that all of the claims were interrelated so as to constitute a single claim.  In a previous decision, the same Judge had recommended summary judgment, finding that only one year's policy was implicated.  This is the second time that the firm has successfully limited coverage to the single "per claim" limits of a single year's policy; previously the firm achieved a similar result in the Eastern District of Kentucky, in a case involving an undetected "Ponzi scheme" that involved financial fraud in two related businesses.

Gary Barnes, P.A., Gary Karnedy and Andy Braley were principally responsible for briefing the summary judgment motion that prevailed, with assistance on key issues from Keith Roberts, Keith Jones, Doug Wolinsky. This is the firm's third consecutive insurance coverage victory for CPA Mutual.

Jim Clemons was an invited speaker at Milliman's 2006 Mortgage Reinsurance Conference, held in early April in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Jim's presentation addressed the regulatory risks, program structures, and emerging issues affecting the mortgage guaranty reinsurance captive business.

The firm is proud to announce its hiring of three new Associates: Keith Jones, David Hall and Lagretta Nickles. Keith joined the firm in March and concentrates in the firm's litigation and employment practices. David joined the firm in August, and Lagretta joined the firm in September 2006.

The firm is proud to announce that 10 of its attorneys have been once again selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America including, Jon Eggleston, Anne Cramer, Denise Deschenes, Bill Piper, Steve Reynes, Patricia Rickard, Gail Westgate, Doug Wolinsky, Victoria Brown, and Neil Wheelwright.

Building on a Firm tradition, Keith Roberts will be participating as a member of the Leadership Champlain Class of 2006.

In the matter of Havey v. Homebound Mortgage, Inc., heard in the Vermont Federal District Court, the firm won a significant summary judgment motion on behalf of the defendants. Plaintiffs, mortgage underwriters, claimed overtime benefits under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act. In a 22 page decision issued by Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier, the Court agreed with Defendants that Plaintiffs fell within the administrative exemption to the Acts and therefore were not entitled to overtime pay as a matter of law. The case was handled by Gary Franklin.

The Firm is pleased to report that it acted as lead counsel for a group of more than twenty subcontractors who had worked on the construction of the Kohl's Department Store located at the University Mall in South Burlington. Upon the completion of the work and the opening of the Kohl's store, the general contractor filed for bankruptcy protection leaving the subcontractors on the job owed approximately $1.2 million. Doug Wolinsky and Keith Roberts successfully led the efforts to recover approximately 60% of the amounts owed to the perfected subcontractors.

Primmer & Piper and Eggleston & Cramer are very pleased to announce that they have merged to become Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC, as of January 1, 2006. The new firm with offices in Burlington, Montpelier, and St. Johnsbury has over 30 lawyers and became the second largest law firm in Vermont.

"This merger greatly enhances the array of legal practice areas we can offer our clients," said Bill Piper, Chairman of the new firm. "By combining our resources, talents, and efforts, we will improve the service we provide to our clients and create a better environment for our employees."

PPEC offers practice areas that include banking, bankruptcy, captive and traditional insurance, commercial transactions, general corporate practice, employment, environmental/land use, estate planning and probate, finance, government relations, health care, immigration, intellectual property and technology, international law, commercial litigation, mediation and arbitration, public utility law, commercial real estate, and taxation.

"We are excited about the long-term advantages and opportunities this merger will provide," said Anne Cramer, President of PPEC. "By combining the legal expertise and experience of both firms, we will be well-positioned to provide top-level services in the increasingly complex regulatory business environment in Vermont as well as the New England Market."

The new firm will continue both firms' commitment to value, responsiveness, and integrity as the foundations for providing the highest level of legal services, and achieving excellent results for its clients.