Michael T. Russell

Michael returned to Vermont with his family in 1996. His legal career began in 1998 as an associate with Stuart M. Bennett, PC in Shelburne. He moved his practice to Burlington and joined Hoff Curtis as an associate in 2002. In 2006 he was made a partner and became Managing Director in 2008. Beginning in 2010, he spent two years as General Counsel and COO of New England Air Systems. When he returned to private practice in 2013, Michael chose to practice in his hometown of Charlotte. His client base expanded to include northern Addison County when he established an office in Bristol from 2014 to 2017. A move to Hinesburg in 2021 proved to be an opportunity to embrace that vibrant and welcoming community and led to the growth of Pease Mountain Law to its current 5 employees.

Michael’s business and property practice is primarily consultative and transactional in nature, but he has done substantial litigation, and continues to provide litigation services in support of his business and individual clients. Michael’s matters include representing corporations in contract matters and commercial disputes, condominium and other homeowner associations in a variety of matters, neighbors and developers in property disputes, land use permitting and zoning disputes, property rights, and others. His interest in construction and ability to grasp technical matters has made him invaluable to contractors and developers in contract disputes.

Michael's business practice involves large and small businesses and not-for-profits in all phases of business development. He provides legal services on issues such as start-up entity selection and business formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, as well as general business counseling.

Michael also provides legal services for probate administration and litigation, estate planning, trust planning and administration, elder law, asset protection and guardianships.

Michael graduated from The Colorado College in 1986. He received his J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1997, where he studied for two years with nationally recognized land use scholar, Professor Edward H. Ziegler. While attending Vermont Law School as a third-year exchange student, he researched and wrote on the topics of: Legal Devices Employed by Land Trusts - Cooperative Agreements and Restrictive Mechanisms; Durable Land Conservation Through Land Trusts - The Obligations of a Charitable Trust; and Off-Site Mitigation of Developed Farmland - Vermont’s Underutilized Statutory Authority.

Michael is a member of the Vermont Bar Association and the American Bar Association. In addition to his professional activities, he spends countless hours giving back to the local community through boards and other philanthropic activities. He is currently on the Board of the Charlotte Food Shelf.

Michael and his family reside in Charlotte where he enjoys biking, yoga, woodworking, mechanics and back-country skiing.