Biography
Joseph E. McNeil formed the firm originally to carry on his father’s law practice in 1978. As a native of Burlington and principal of the firm, he served as a Deputy State’s Attorney Prosecutor, Corporation Counsel for Vermont’s largest City (Burlington) along with being in private practice.
Joe currently serves as Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Vermont and for the Vermont Judiciary. He is General Counsel for the Burlington School District. Joe represents regional entities such as the Chittenden County Transportation Authority and the Burlington International Airport, municipalities such as the City of St. Albans and the Town of Williston and school districts across Vermont. He has provided legal and employment advice and assistance to higher education institutions such as the University of Vermont, St. Michael’s College and Goddard College. Joe is a Cornell University Certified Mediator and Arbitrator, and has conducted mediations for individuals and organizations as diverse as the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the U.S. Department of Labor, the United Nations, the U.S. District Court for Vermont, the Vermont and New York Court Systems and the Bennington School System, as well as for several other Vermont businesses, municipalities and school districts. He has also served as a binding arbitrator for commercial and employment related disputes. He often has conducted and coordinated employment related investigations and has frequently advised clients with regard to federal and state legal and regulatory requirements, the fiduciary responsibilities of corporate and governmental governing boards and general legal obligations.
Joe has regularly conducted seminars for legal practitioners, law students, college students, high school students, school district and municipal officials and the general public concerning employment law, labor law and collective bargaining, municipal law and land use law.
Joe has served as both Vermont Chair and Regional Vice-President of the Second Circuit for the International Municipal Lawyers Association as well of serving as the National Chair of the Zoning, Planning and Land Development Section of this organization.
Joe has received an AV® Preeminent™ peer review rating, the highest rating attainable from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Notable Representations:
- Burlington, Vermont School District (General Counsel)
- Windham Central School District (Labor Counsel)
- State of Vermont (Chief Labor Negotiator)
- Vermont Judiciary (Chief Labor Negotiator)
- Chittenden County Transportation Authority (Chief Labor Counsel)
- Burlington International Airport (Special Counsel)
- Town of Williston, Vermont (Labor Counsel)
- Goddard College (Labor Counsel)
- National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys