This month’s member spotlight is a feature on Aili Obandja (she/her)! Aili lives in Essex and is coming up on her third year in Vermont. She works in the legal sector as the founder of the Law Office of Aili Obandja, where she represents injured Vermonters in workers’ compensation claims, motor vehicle accidents, SSDI denials, and federal criminal defense. She is driven by a deep commitment to service, advocating for her clients and finding fulfillment in supporting underserved communities.
Learn more about her work at www.aolawyer.com, and connect with Aili through email at aili@aolawyer.com!
Tell us a bit about your background before arriving in VT and what brought you to the state.
I was born and raised in Windhoek, Namibia, home to the world’s oldest desert. Over the past decade, I have lived in Mississippi, Upstate New York, and now Vermont. When we were transitioning from New York, we considered relocating to either Vermont or Washington, DC. I initially leaned toward DC, but my then–third grader chose Vermont. She had no recollection of Washington, DC, which we had visited when she was in kindergarten, while a prior visit to Burlington during her second-grade year left a lasting impression—she loved our time there.
After we settled on Vermont, I interviewed with the Defender General’s Office. During that interview, one of the interviewers mentioned that Burlington has an African community that often experiences conflict with law enforcement. That conversation resonated deeply with me. I believed Vermont’s communities could benefit from an assistant public defender who reflected the lived experiences of some of the defendants and the community. I felt a clear sense of purpose—I had identified a need and felt called to meet it. That is ultimately how our family ended up in Vermont.
How did you get into your career?
As a child, my mother often took me to work with her, so I have been around courtrooms for as long as I can remember. My parents grew up under an apartheid regime and joined the liberation struggle as teenagers, eventually going into exile. Their history deeply shaped my desire to pursue a career grounded in advocacy and systemic change.
At 11 years old, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer—and I followed through. In high school, I took up public speaking and debate, competing at both regional and national levels. In 11th grade, I placed second overall in Bank Windhoek’s Business Orator’s Competition, missing first place by just 0.5%. I excelled in these spaces, my confidence grew, and I was frequently featured in the news and local newspapers. Those formative experiences honed my advocacy skills, and I have never looked back.
I began my legal career as a prosecutor in 2013, later transitioning to assistant public defender and then litigation associate. Most recently, I founded my own practice here in Vermont, the Law Office of Aili Obandja.
Why are you a member of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network?
I’m a homebody. Outside of work and my daughter’s school activities, I don’t get out much. When we moved to Vermont, I was looking for a sense of community, and I found the Vermont Professionals of Color Network through a Google search.
What aspects of life in VT do you find most fulfilling? What about your professional life here stands out to you?
I love Vermont’s terrain and landscape, and I appreciate that Chittenden County is far less frigid than Watertown, New York. Winter here is bearable, and the snow-covered mountains are absolutely breathtaking.
Professionally, Vermont presents real opportunity. Nearly half of the state’s lawyers are 56 or older, creating a need for younger attorneys. If you can weather the high cost of living and relatively low wages early on, there is space to build a strong reputation in Vermont’s legal community by doing good work. This is a point I often emphasize when speaking with members of the Black Law Students Association at Vermont Law and Graduate School.
Tell us about the work you’re currently doing and what drives you in your profession!
I am the founder of the Law Office of Aili Obandja, where I represent injured Vermonters in workers’ compensation claims, motor vehicle accidents, SSDI denials, and federal criminal defense. I’m driven by a deep commitment to service and to zealously advocate for my clients in courtrooms and before administrative bodies. Living with purpose and advocating for underserved communities is incredibly fulfilling to me.
What are some challenges that you’ve faced since living in VT?
Vermont is largely unaffordable, with a cost of living that far outpaces local wages, and living here can also feel isolating. While I’m an introvert and don’t mind the social isolation as much, it remains a real and persistent reality for people of color in the state. Additionally, depending on your colleagues or social circles, you may encounter comments or attitudes about people of color that are unsettling and can alter how you perceive those you work or socialize with. That, too, is part of the reality. While Vermont often appears progressive on paper, it still grapples with many of the same systemic issues and prejudices that exist elsewhere.
