Attorney Daniel Richardson said he has tried a case or conducted a hearing in every county in Vermont. Soon he will serve as a judge on the Vermont Superior Court.
Gov. Phil Scott appointed Richardson to the role on Tuesday, according to an announcement from the governor’s office.
The Montpelier resident has been serving as Burlington’s city attorney for about seven months. He was formerly in private practice at Tarrant, Gillies & Shems for 16 years.
Richardson told VTDigger he is grateful for and excited about the appointment.
“It’s been a very long dream of mine to become a judge,” he said.
He expects to start in the new role around the end of May.
Richardson said he was attracted to the job by the great potential judges have to do good and to resolve disputes, calling a fair and impartial judiciary an “incredibly important function in our society.”
He’s also drawn to being able to explain decisions to citizens.
“A legislature can pass a law and the law speaks for itself. The governor can issue an executive order, and the order speaks for itself,” he said. “But in the judiciary, we have to explain: Why are we doing this, why is this case coming out this way, why does this make sense?”
Justifying decision making is of utmost importance in an era “where communication and common sense and common threads are difficult to find,” he said.
Richardson, 47, has served as Montpelier’s Ward 3 city councilor and in many other volunteer positions: chair of the Montpelier Development Review Board, president of the Vermont Bar Association, president of the Vermont Bar Foundation, president of the Green Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Access to Justice Coalition, according to the announcement from the governor’s office.
He expressed thanks to Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and said he was disappointed to leave the Burlington city attorney role sooner than expected, calling it “one of the best experiences I’ve had in my professional life so far.”
Richardson grew up in Canton, Ohio, where his parents still live. He came to Vermont Law School for his J.D. and stayed.
He previously served as an acting judge at Washington Superior Court where he heard small claims court cases and served as a law clerk at Chittenden Superior Court to the several judges, according to the release.
“Dan has demonstrated a deep commitment to service and a dedication to Vermont throughout his career,” Scott said in a statement. “I’m confident he will continue his good work in this new role, and I appreciate his willingness to serve.”
Richardson was chosen from among 11 candidates, according to Ella Spottswood, chair of the Judicial Nominating Board.
