Claudine Safar

csafar@msvtlaw.com

Claudine joined the firm in 2010. She practices in the areas of land use, planning, zoning, civil litigation, family law and appellate litigation. In the course of her practice, Claudine represents individuals, businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit entities to help them achieve their goals.

She has routinely represented landowners, municipalities and developers before state and municipal boards, and the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court in land use permitting matters.  She also has extensive experience in civil litigation, having tried numerous cases to verdict. 

Claudine’s appellate practice has both breadth and depth. She has represented her clients across New England, including before the Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire Supreme Courts, and the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  

She is a graduate of Middlebury College (1996) (highest honors) and the Maine School of Law (1999), cum laude. While in law school, Claudine was the production editor for the Maine Law Review.  Upon her graduation from law school, she served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Justice Donald Alexander of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court from 2001 to 2003, where she assisted in the preparation of the Maine Civil Rules with Advisory Notes and the Maine Jury Instruction Manual. 

She is a member of the Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine Bar Associations.  She is also licensed in the United States District Court for the Districts of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, and the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  In addition to her law practice, Claudine takes special interest in her role in her community, wherever she has lived across New England. She presently serves on the board of the Good Fun-D, Inc., and has been a past board member of the Kismet Rock Foundation and The Upper Saco Valley Land Trust. She enjoys rock climbing, skiing and cycling and lives in Williston with her family and her dog. 

Representative Matters
  • Has represented several members of the construction industry in Department of Labor audit appeals and has received favorable rulings from the Vermont Supreme Judicial Court.
  • Represented a Vermont municipality, in efforts to obtain compliance from the railroad in Vermont’s municipal land use regulations, before the United States District Court for the District of Vermont.
  • Obtained a favorable ruling from the Environmental Division while representing one of Vermont’s largest municipalities in the enforcement of its zoning regulations.
  • Successfully represented a landowner in connection with the conveyance of easement rights, negotiation of agreements, and continued representation in litigation of property claims in connection with one of Vermont’s largest wind energy projects.
  • Represented Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in the drafting and review of municipal ordinance concerning buffer zones for reproductive health centers in Burlington, Vermont and Portland, Maine.
  • Assisted buyers and sellers in the sale of several different commercial businesses.
  • Successfully represented large developer in municipal approvals and subsequent appeals taken to the Superior Court and Maine Supreme Judicial Court concerning development on Rangely Lake in Maine.
  • Represented separate purchasers in acquisition of an established home health care business and also a commercial stone cutting and supply business.
  • Act as counsel for condominium owners’ association.
  • Achieved a successful settlement for a skier grievously injured at Jay Peak Ski Resort.
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