News Release -- Vermont Attorney General's Office
June 12, 2015
Contact:
Wendy Morgan
Assistant Attorney General
(802) 828-5586
Elliot Burg, who has served as an assistant attorney general since 1987, has decided to retire from the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. "I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity, for so many years, to work in the AG's Office on protecting Vermont consumers from unfair and deceptive practices. At the same time, I’m looking forward to being with my family more, and to pursuing my longstanding interests in photography, music, and international volunteer work," said Burg.
During his tenure, Burg was a tenacious advocate for consumers through litigation, legislation, rulemaking and education. He led dozens of multistate and Vermont cases against multinational corporations and other businesses involved in defrauding Vermont consumers. He worked on a wide range of issues, including telemarketing fraud, landline cramming, Vermont branding, and product safety. Since 2009 alone, he was instrumental in returning over $7.5 million to individual Vermonters and another $274,000 to nonprofits serving Vermonters, and in obtaining $9.4 million for the State. He also played a key role in modernizing and extending consumer protection law in Vermont on such matters as telemarketing, charitable solicitations, and discount membership plans, as well as in promulgating rules on propane sales, charitable solicitations, rent-to-own disclosures, and many other topics.
While Burg’s focus was always on what was best for Vermont and Vermonters, the impact of his work was felt nationally. In February 2015, he was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Attorneys General because his “commitment and dedication to the citizens of Vermont and the United States made both a better place and reflect great credit upon him and the Office of the Vermont Attorney General.”
“Elliot has been a superstar in the AG’s Office for a very long time,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell. “He has been recognized nationally for his competence, passion and energy in the protection of so many, many consumers. We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his exemplary service.”
Prior to his time in the Attorney General’s Office, Burg was a staff attorney at Vermont Legal Aid, an Associate Professor at Vermont Law School, and Director of the South Royalton Legal Clinic. Burg is a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School.
