Charles L. Merriman
Charlie joined Tarrant, Gillies, Merriman & Richardson in 2006 after eight years as a Special Assistant Attorney General Vermont Tax Department. During that time, Charlie provided legal opinions to listers, town managers, select board members, tax collectors and other town officials on taxation, collection, valuation, zoning, open meetings and public records laws and charter amendments. He assisted the Vermont Legislature on tax policy issues including assessment and equalization procedures, current use standards, tax increment financing districts and public records exemptions. Charlie successfully defended the State’s education funding law before the Vermont Supreme Court and successfully defended the Tax Department on current use, land gains, and property transfer tax appeals. Charlie has a state-wide reputation on property tax that reflects a deep knowledge of not just the law but the practice of taxation and appraisal. For the last seven years, Charlie has teamed with the Honorable Deborah Markowitz in providing BCA tax appeal training seminars throughout the state. Recently, Charlie completely revised the Secretary’s Handbook On Property Tax Appeals, which, incidentally, was initially written by Paul Gillies. Charlie became a partner in the firm on 1/1/09.
Charlie’s practice focuses on the following areas:
- Municipal law
- Property Tax Appeals
- Zoning and land use
- Administrative law
- Real estate litigation
- Commercial law
- Civil litigation
Education
Vermont Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1995) Case Western Reserve University (B.A., 1982) London School of Economics (graduate studies)
Bar Admissions
Vermont (1995)
Memberships
Vermont Bar Association
Community Involvement
Chair, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Town of Middlesex
Personal Interests
Charlie lives in Middlesex with his wife, two children, and dogs. Charlie enjoys maple sugaring each spring and runs the annual Mount Washington Road Race.