Justin St. James
Associate General Counsel
jstjames@vsea.org
VSEA Associate General Counsel, Justin St. James, grew up in New Hampshire and moved out west a few years ago to study at the University of Oregon School of Law (UO). Prior to attending UO, St. James received a B.A. in Politics from Wake Forest University, in North Carolina.
After earning his law degree and passing the bar exam, St. James went to work at SEIU Local 503 in Portland, OR, where he worked as a strategic researcher. Following that, he went to work at AFSCME Council 75 (Oregon) as a Union Representative. In addition to his union work in Oregon, St. James also worked as campaign manager for two political campaigns, including working for the incumbent in an Attorney General’s race.
St. James says he is happy to be back on the East Coast and closer to where he grew up in New Hampshire.
“I grew up in a household with a farmer and union teacher for parents,” says St. James. “My mother has been a public school math teacher for 40 years, and I learned from her about the role a strong union could play in the workplace. I am energized to work for VSEA and aid our members fighting to protect Vermont state employees from the host of serious and growing threats to their livelihoods.”
St. James adds that he is impressed with how diverse VSEA members’ work is across the state.
“I think VSEA’s power comes from its diversity,” he explains. “From our AOT garage in Derby to the Vets’ Home in Bennington, we have many types of workers with varied skill sets and life experiences. I learn something new every day from our members and it is an honor and privilege to represent them.”