Attorney John B. Kassel
John B. Kassel counsels businesses, non-profit organizations (including foundations) and individuals, with a particular focus on the creation, permitting and start-up of renewable energy projects. John has a BA, magna cum laude, in Russian, from Middlebury College (1980) and a JD, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Cornell Law School (1986), where he was a senior editor of the Cornell Law Review. He was a law clerk to the Hon. Joseph L. Tauro, United States District Judge, District of Massachusetts, from 1986-87, and from 1987-92 practiced environmental and public utility law, and general business litigation, with a law firm in Burlington, Vermont. From 1992-94 he prosecuted felonies and misdemeanors as a criminal prosecutor in the Chittenden State's Attorney's office, and in 1994 became General Counsel to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. He was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Agency in 1997 and served from 1998 to 2000 as Secretary of the Agency, a Cabinet-level position. From 2000-01 he was Of Counsel to a Burlington litigation firm. He is a former Chair of the Environmental Law Section of the Vermont Bar Association, and is also active in several professional organizations as well as many community and environmental organizations.
Why I Work
I work at SDKS because I can use the law to help make the world a better place. Working with clients who are on a social mission, as we are, is very gratifying. This practice reminds me of why I went to law school in the first place.
John B. Kassel