The subject of our first edition of Hub & Folk is also one of the newest additions to The Hub’s co-working community: Dale Chappell. Dale is the proud owner of Zen Law Guy Paralegal Services where he practices as a nationally-certified paralegal. Ever since graduating from Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, Dale has been working with private lawyers representing clients on criminal cases where he does the research and writes the motions for the attorneys he has long-standing relationships with in several states. Dale came to Vermont on the advice of a friend who up until recently lived here and practiced law in Rutland. Originally looking for a dedicated desk here at The Hub, Dale was attracted to the amenities he found in a recently vacated private office space occupied by a lobbyist who moved to Montpelier and signed a lease with MKF Properties earlier this summer.
Dale’s journey to becoming involved in the legal arena is an interesting one. A career firefighter in New York and then Florida, Dale “retired” in 2008 to take over his father’s successful business, which was interestingly enough, selling personal protective equipment to firefighters. When Dale eventually sold the business, he was encouraged by a friend to become the Zen Law Guy because he was like a Zen master who could “sift through all of the crap to get to the heart of a legal issue.” That reference resonated with him and became the name of his business and persona.
Dale proudly admits that his passion for pursuing a second career in law came from two important people prominent attorney and founder of the Innocence Project Barry Scheck, and a best friend who experienced some unfortunate criminal charges. Both people exposed Dale to some of the systemic problems that affect the criminal justice system. Dale has made the focus of his work assisting lawyers who represent clients that have been wrongfully convicted or sentenced. Delving into complex legal cases and researching laws that could assist a client might seem boring to many people, but not to Dale. Just like when he was a firefighter, this work involves helping people, and that is what Dale Chappell is all about.
When Dale isn’t busy working on multiple cases, he is a prolific writer, authoring several hundred articles and three books on criminal law. He is rediscovering his passion for landscape photography, purchased a motorcycle, and is discovering a love of the Green Mountain State.
We are happy to have someone as genuine as Dale as part of The Hub CoWorks community and wish him happiness and success here in Rutland, Vermont!