Joseph E. McNeil

Joseph E. McNeil is a Burlington, Vermont, attorney whose practice focuses on labor and employment law, municipal matters, education law, mediation, and arbitration. He serves as Chief Labor Negotiator for the State of Vermont and the Vermont Judiciary and as General Counsel for the Burlington School District. His clients include municipalities, school districts, transportation authorities, airports, colleges, and other organizations requiring practical guidance on workplace and governmental issues.

Joe earned a B.A. from St. Michael’s College in 1966. He later received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame in 1969. He is also a Cornell University Certified Mediator and Arbitrator and a graduate of Cornell University’s Institute on Conflict Resolution. This education and dispute-resolution training support his ability to assess complex legal positions, manage negotiations, and help parties address conflicts efficiently.

Joe previously served as a Deputy State’s Attorney Prosecutor and as Corporation Counsel for the City of Burlington while also working in private practice. He has represented the Chittenden County Transportation Authority, Burlington International Airport, the City of St. Albans, the Town of Williston, and school districts across Vermont. His work includes collective bargaining, employment investigations, regulatory compliance, board fiduciary duties, commercial and employment arbitration, and legal counseling for higher education institutions.

Joseph E. McNeil has mediated matters involving the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the U.S. Department of Labor, the United Nations, the U.S. District Court for Vermont, and the Vermont and New York court systems. He has held leadership roles with the International Municipal Lawyers Association and regularly presents seminars on employment, labor, collective bargaining, municipal, and land use law. His professional standing also includes an AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, McNeil Leddy & Sheahan P.C.
• Member, Vermont Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Chittenden County Bar Association
• Former Chair, International Municipal Lawyers Association
• Member, Council for School Administrators

Licensed State

• Vermont

Education

• University of Notre Dame
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• St. Michael’s College
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges