January
2026
Gfeller Laurie LLP Expands Northeast Footprint Adding Office in Vermont and Three Attorneys
Gfeller Laurie LLP has expanded its footprint in the Northeast by opening a new office in Rutland, VT and adding partners Thomas P. Aicher and Kaveh S. Shahi, along with associate Ellie Gebarowski-Shafer and their staff. The new Gfeller Laurie Vermont office is located at 110 Merchants Row, Suite 3, Rutland, Vermont.
“We are excited to welcome Tom Aicher, Kaveh Shahi, and their team to our firm. Expanding into Vermont is a natural fit with our firm’s business objectives and strategic plan. Tom and Kaveh are fantastic attorneys who bring a wealth of litigation experience and tremendous reputation and standing in Vermont and beyond,” said co-founding partner Charles F. Gfeller, Gfeller Laurie. “Tom is nationally known in the ski industry and serves as Outside Special Counsel to the National Ski Areas Association. He adds invaluable depth to our sports and recreation litigation team that serves the ski industry, as well as other recreational and sports industries, in various parts of the United States and now Vermont. Kaveh is known as a fantastic litigator who has significant trial experience and will also add tremendous depth to our overall litigation team.”
“Joining Gfeller Laurie is a logical and well-aligned next step for our team of attorneys. As a successful regional law firm, Gfeller Laurie has a deep bench in sports and recreational litigation, as well as construction, trucking, professional liability, and insurance-related litigation and offers broad access to institutional clients,” said Thomas P. Aicher, partner.
Tom has been engaged in trial practice since 1991 and regularly defends Vermont’s winter and summer resorts with respect to sports injury claims. In 2016, he was named Outside Special Counsel to the National Ski Areas Association acting as national counsel to the ski industry on risk management issues and judicial trends. Gfeller Laurie now boasts four former presidents of the prestigious Association of Ski Defense Attorneys including Charles Gfeller, Steve Zweig, Maryjo Zweig and now Tom Aicher. Tom is a former principal and shareholder with Cleary, Shahi & Aicher, P.C.
“We are excited by the opportunity to continue to provide stellar legal services in Vermont and New Hampshire while giving clients access to the tremendous talent and resources offered by Gfeller Laurie, a well-respected regional firm,” added Kaveh S. Shahi, partner. Kaveh is engaged in a diverse trial and appellate practice in the areas of insurance defense, insurance coverage, civil rights, construction, medical, legal, and dental malpractice, employment law, and commercial SEC cases. He carries the highest rating from Chambers and Best Lawyers and is a Fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Further, he is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Supreme Court Historical Society, and International Association of Defense Counsel. Kaveh is also a former principal and shareholder with Cleary, Shahi & Aicher, P.C.
“Utilizing the firm’s experience and strategic resources, we look forward to building out and growing the Vermont office,” said Gfeller Laurie Managing Partner Melicent B. Thompson. “We have several institutional clients who have litigation and counseling needs in Vermont and northern New England. The addition of Tom, Kaveh, and their outstanding team allows us to provide more comprehensive services and expand our reach to these and other clients.”
Ellie Gebarowski-Shafer focuses her practice on wills, estate planning, guardianship cases, and other probate matters. She assists clients seeking to navigate the family court system whether it be marital separation and divorce, enforcing a custody order, or assisting youth in juvenile matters. In addition, she handles the defense of tort claims relating to personal injury, property damage, and other liability claims. Ellie was formerly an associate with Cleary, Shahi & Aicher, P.C.
The firm’s Sports & Recreation practice represents sports and recreational facilities throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Clients include a wide variety of recreational facilities and operators, including, among others, ski areas (winter and summer operations), ice arenas, parasail operators, jet ski operators, indoor rock-climbing facilities, zip line operators, gyms, equine facilities (including internationally known race tracks), auto race tracks, bike parks, scholastic/college/university operated sports and recreational facilities, camps, fairs, festivals, carnivals, and water parks.
Now with a total of eight offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Vermont, Gfeller Laurie LLP represents clients in litigation matters spanning a variety of industries including Insurance, Sports & Recreation, Financial Services, Construction and Commercial Litigation, and Healthcare and Professional Liability.
Gfeller Laurie’s Sports & Recreation practice represents sports and recreational facilities throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Clients include a wide variety of recreational facilities and operators, including, among others, ski areas (winter and summer operations), ice arenas, parasail operators, jet ski operators, rock climbing facilities, zip line operators, gyms, equine facilities (including internationally known race tracks), auto race tracks, bike parks, scholastic/college/university operated sports and recreational facilities, camps, fairs, festivals, carnivals, and water parks.
