Michael Roosevelt, Law Clerk

Michael Roosevelt joined the firm in June 2007 as a law clerk participating in Vermont’s Four Year Law Office Study program — which he has now completed. He earned his BFA degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and his MFA from the Tyler School of Art of Temple University in Philadelphia. He has decades of experience as a small business owner, non-profit organization administrator, educator, and is the past-president of the Heart of Vermont Chamber of Commerce. As an artist, he has exhibited his work internationally, including Canada, Japan, Italy, Mexico and France. In addition to his role in our office, he is an Adjunct Professor in the Visual Design Department at Lyndon State College.

Both Michael and his wife, Maria, are Graduate Personal Property Appraisers (GPPA) and members of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America (CAGA) and are up to date on the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) requirements. As appraisers, they are able to offer personal property valuation services in probate and family matters.

Ginni A. Lavely, Paralegal

Ginni A. Lavely graduated from White Mountain Regional High School in 1992 and received her Paralegal Certificate from Franklin Pierce College in 2010.  She is working towards her Associates Degree in Business Management.  Her work experience is in banking and the restaurant industry.  Ginni’s responsibilities include assisting in the firm’s litigation practice and running the real estate section.

Ginni moved to Danville from northern New Hampshire in 2007.  She and her husband, Justin Lavely, own Northstar Publishing, which publishes the North Star Monthly newspaper, The Kingdom Guide and Living Healthy.

Ginni is the Treasurer of the St. Johnsbury Rotary Club, Vice-President of the Danville Parent Teacher Group and a very busy mother of two children.

Vanessa L. Koch, Practice Manager

Vanessa L. Koch, our Practice Manager, has worked in Law Firms in Southern New Hampshire and Vermont since 1992. She earned her Associate’s Degree in Business at Hesser College in Manchester, New Hampshire where she graduated magna cum laude in 1992. Her background includes legal assistant, personal injury litigation paralegal, bookkeeping and office manager. She is working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and is enrolled at Granite State College.

She is a volunteer for Girl Scouts, member of the Association of Legal Administrators, member of Women’s Business Owner’s Network and President of the Danville Parent Teacher Group.

Vanessa lives in Danville with her husband, Tony Koch and their two children. They own and operate Diversified Cleaning an indoor & outdoor cleaning company in the Northeast Kingdom.

Charles W. Bucknam, Jr., Financial Consultant

Charles W. Bucknam, Jr. is the firm’s financial consultant. His background is as a commercial banking executive and has over 30 years experience in bank management, commercial lending, and credit administration.

He served as president and CEO of Lyndonbank in Lyndonville, Vermont from 1993 until 2007. The bank was a $160 Million Commercial Bank at the time of its merger with Community National Bank in 2008.

In the years prior to joining Lyndonbank Mr. Bucknam served as president of the Caledonia National Bank of Danville and president of The First National bank of Vermont following a number of years as Vice President with The Howard Bank of Burlington, Vermont.

Prior to his banking career Mr. Bucknam served as a Captain in the United States Air Force 316th T.A.W. stationed at Langley AFB in Virginia.

Mr. Bucknam graduated from Cornell University in 1966 with a B.A. in Economics and received an MBA from the University of Vermont in 1978. He graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking in 1989.

Mr. Bucknam currently serves as a Director at the Community National Bank, serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, is a member of the Vermont Transportation Board.  He recently took a position as Chief Financial Officer at Lyndon Institute.

Nancy Knowles, RN, Legal Nurse Consultant

Nancy Knowles is a Registered Nurse with a broad base of work experience including hospital settings, corrections, long-term care, physician’s offices, home care and school care. She finds working in a school environment to be very rewarding.

Nancy expanded into the field of Legal Nurse Consulting in the spring of 2008 and finds that it grants her a unique perspective regarding the field of medicine. Along with being an accomplished pianist, Nancy enjoys the outdoors and the grand scope of activities living in Vermont offers.

Susann R. Norrgrann

Susann R. Norrgrann is an administrative assistant who provides invaluable support to the legal team, and for our clients.  She graduated from Johnson State College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.  She lives in Lyndonville with her husband, Stephen Shaw and their dog Hopper.

Susann is a member of the St. Johnsbury Country Club, the Women’s Bowling Congress at Gold Crown Lanes and a frequent volunteer for the Town of Lyndonville at the polls each year.  She has served on her local  school board  as a Boy Scout and Girl Scout Leader,  and as a volunteer for Environmental Learning for the Future and Special Olympics.  She also served with the Federation of Families of Vermont as a mentor.