Charlotte Ruth Dennett, Attorney, Author, has built a multifaceted career as an attorney, investigative journalist and author, each role reinforcing her lifelong commitment to advocacy and accountability. She leads her own practice, Charlotte Dennett Attorney at Law, where she focuses on personal injury, medical malpractice, family law and real estate law. She is known for representing clients from lower income backgrounds, taking on both plaintiff and defendant cases in family law, including divorce proceedings, and advocating for plaintiffs in personal injury matters. Her passion for medical malpractice cases stems from the investigative precision required to understand and present complex medical facts in court.
Ms. Dennett entered the legal profession through the Abraham Lincoln Way, a unique path in Vermont that allowed her to apprentice with law firms rather than attend law school. She immersed herself in hands-on training, submitted detailed biannual reports of her studies and, after three years, qualified for the bar examination. Upon passing the exam, she became licensed to practice law in Vermont, combining her investigative skills with a deep understanding of legal processes.
Ms. Dennet’s academic background laid a foundation for her diverse professional life. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from Wheaton College in Massachusetts and went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in art history from Villa Schifanoia Pope Pius XII Institute in Italy. These studies refined her ability to research, analyze and interpret complex subjects, skills she would later apply in law and journalism. Her early education also included a diploma from the American Community School Beirut in Lebanon, an experience that sparked her enduring interest in international affairs.
Before becoming an attorney, Ms. Dennett built a respected career as an investigative journalist. She began reporting in Beirut, Lebanon, covering art, architecture and Middle Eastern life for The Daily Star and other publications. She and her husband later investigated the genocide of Amazonian Indigenous peoples, a project that drew international attention to human rights abuses. Over the years, she has written extensively on topics ranging from global politics to corporate power, always with an emphasis on truth and accountability.
Ms. Dennett’s work has appeared in multiple books, including “Follow the Pipelines,” co-authored with her brother Daniel C. Dennett III; “The Crash of Flight 3804: A Lost Spy, a Daughter’s Quest, and the Deadly Politics of the Great Game for Oil”; “The People V. Bush: One Lawyer’s Campaign to Bring the President to Justice and the National Grassroots Movement She Encounters Along the Way,” co-authored with Vincent Bugliosi; and “Thy Will Be Done: The Conquest of the Amazon: Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil,” co-authored with Gerard Colby and published by HarperCollins.
Ms. Dennett has also taken on leadership roles in public service and advocacy. She worked on the Governor’s Commission for Women, was a member of the legal panel for the American Civil Liberties Union, sat on the board of the Franklin County Family Resource Center and served as chair of the book division for the National Writers Union. She is also a member of the Vermont Bar Association and the Vermont Association for Justice.
Ms. Dennett’s civic engagement extended into politics when she ran for attorney general of Vermont as the Progressive Party nominee. During her campaign, she proposed appointing a special prosecutor to investigate possible war crimes related to the Iraq War, reflecting her readiness to challenge authority in pursuit of justice. Her career reflects a rare blend of artistry, intellectual rigor and fearless pursuit of truth, qualities that have defined her journey across multiple fields.