Bruce Hesselbach
Bruce Hesselbach, 66, of Newfane, died
suddenly on June 13, 2017. In his law
practice, he had been helping clients in
general practice areas such as bankruptcy,
real estate, personal injury and contracts
since 1976. He was a graduate of Yale
University (BA, English, cum laude 1972)
and Villanova University School of Law (JD
1975). Bruce was admitted in Vermont,
New York and the Second Circuit and was
a member of the Vermont Bar Association,
the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association,
the ABA, and the Association of the Bar
of the City of New York. Bruce originally
worked for a law firm in Manhattan before
moving to Brattleboro and working for
McCarty Law Offices until 1996, when he
established his own practice. Bruce had
lived in Newfane, Vermont, since 1989 and
served over a decade with the Newfane
Conservation Commission. Bruce was the
author of a steampunk novel, Perpetual
Motion (Cogwheel Press 2013) and a hiking
memoir, High Ledges, Green Mountains
(Bondcliff Books 2005). An avid hiker, he
climbed 480 different mountains and hiked
Vermont’s 270-mile Long Trail. 62 of his
poems have been published in the small
presses. He is survived by his wife of over
45 years, Carol.
forward, Brattleboro became Chuck’s home
and its well-bein g his cause. Over the years,
he helped establish two critical nonprofit
services: Rescue Inc. and the Prouty Center,
and served as chairman of the board of the
Brattleboro school board and on boards
for Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and
the Thompson House, among others.
Recently, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
honored Charles Cummings for his lifelong
charitable support. Cummings is a retired
partner from Kristensen Cummings Phillips
& Carroll and long-time VBA member. He
was a member of the American College of
Trust and Estate Counsel. He is survived by
his three children. His wife of over 45 years,
Ann, pre-deceased him in 2006.
Scenes from our
Solo and Small Firm Conference
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THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • SUMMER 2017
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