Our Attorneys


Ed Adrian
Ed joined the firm in 2014, bringing with him eighteen years of practicing law in Vermont. He has worked for both private and public sector clients, in the areas of civil, administrative and criminal litigation. Ed helps licensed professionals navigate difficult legal and ethical issues. His practice also includes Internet and social media law, helping businesses and individuals understand the complexities of this rapid and ever changing area of the law. Ed provides counsel to Vermonters who find themselves having to make difficult decisions in difficult situations. Learn more about Ed...
eadrian@msdvt.com

Zachary Chen
Zachary began his legal practice in the Attorney General’s Office’s Criminal Division representing the State of Vermont primarily in cases investigated by a specialized State task force. He continued his public service in the Chittenden State’s Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted a variety of criminal matters and also represented the State in cases involving children in need of care and supervision. Since joining our firm in 2021, his portfolio has expanded to include several aspects of municipal law, property taxation, land use, landlord–tenant issues, as well as employment law. Learn more about Zachary...
zchen@msdvt.com

Tara MacAskill
Tara is an attorney licensed in the State of Vermont with a practice focused on real estate law. She has extensive experience in residential and commercial property transactions, representing national lending institutions as well as businesses and individuals that are buying, selling or refinancing property. Learn more about Tara...
tmacaskill@msvtlaw.com

Brian Monaghan
Brian is a co-founder of the firm and has spent more than a decade focusing his practice on representing the interests of Vermont municipalities. In that time, he has served Vermont’s largest and smallest municipalities, and many in between. He has a wide range of experience in litigating contested matters before boards, commissions, and courts, and advising municipalities, corporations, and individuals in land use matters, constitutional claims, and employment disputes. He continues to focus his practice primarily on Vermont cities, towns, villages, and other municipal entities. Learn more about Brian...
bmonaghan@msdvt.com

Carly Rippel
Carly graduated cum laude from the accelerated J.D. program at Vermont Law School and Immediately joined our firm in 2022. While at Vermont Law School she was a Student Ambassador, Treasurer of the Food and Agricultural Law Society, and on the Board of Directors of Barrister's Book Shop. She spent a semester in practice at the Windsor County Public Defender as a student practitioner. Learn more about Carly...
cerippel@msdvt.com

Lori Ruple
Lori Ruple is an experienced real estate attorney practicing primarily out of our Jeffersonville office. She graduated from Vermont Law School, cum laude, and then served as a judicial law clerk in Franklin and Lamoille counties. She has been in private practice since that time, first for 25 years in partnership with her husband, and then for two local firms. Learn more about Lori...
lruple@msvtlaw.com

Claudine Safar
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.
Learn more about Claudine...
csafar@msdvt.com

Kristen Shamis
Kristen joined the firm in 2006 and became an associate after completing Vermont’s Law Office Study Program. She has significant experience in the firm’s municipal law and business transaction practices, and has also supported the firm’s land use, litigation, and real estate practice areas. Learn more about Kristen...
kshamis@msdvt.com