Every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, the Vermont Bar Association Young Lawyers Division hosts a conference called the Mid-Winter Thaw in Montreal. Many Sheehey attorneys attend annually, and in recent years Sheehey attorneys have played a big role in shaping the conference.
This year, Sheehey litigation partner Justin Brown served as the Chair of the Young Lawyers Division, putting him in charge of planning the Thaw with the assistance of the YLD Board. Justin’s service as Chair comes after 6 years on the YLD Board, serving as an at-large member, Secretary, Treasurer, Chair-Elect, and finally Chair. Among the innovations at this year’s Thaw were a live jazz combo at the Friday night mixer and a group run with this year’s keynote speaker, ultramarathon runner Ryan Montgomery.
At the Thaw, Justin acknowledged Sheehey partner Kevin Lumpkin for his service as YLD Board Chair from 2022-2023 and Kevin’s years of service on the YLD Board prior to that. Kevin was previously acknowledged at the Vermont Bar Association’s annual meeting by VBA Chair Judith Dillon for his years of service on the VBA Board. Justin also presented the Judge Peter W. Hall Integrity Award to long-serving Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Vermont Greg Waples.
Earlier this year, Sheehey attorneys and staff participated in the first annual Race Judicata 5K Run and Walk, also organized by the YLD under Justin’s leadership, at the Barr Hill Distillery in Montpelier. Many Sheehey attorneys and staff attended, and a member of Team Sheehey won the race setting the fastest time among the competitors. At the Thaw, Sheehey was presented with a trophy for achieving the most total points, combining participation and race results. Race Judicata drew many dozens of attorneys and staff from around the state which raised funds for law students to attend the Thaw.
For the January 2026 Thaw, Justin will be the Past Chair of the YLD, and be responsible for selecting the Keynote Speaker for the event. Meanwhile, Kevin will be presenting a Continuing Legal Education course on the topic of ethics at the VBA’s Mid-Year meeting in Manchester on March 28, 2025.
