Second Annual National Conference on Law Clinics Serving Veterans to Be Held in Washington, D.C.
The Honorable Leigh A. Bradley, General Counsel, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to give Keynote Address on Monday, November 2, at 11:30 a.m.
The National Law School Veterans Clinic Coalition (“Coalition”) is hosting a conference in Washington, D.C., on November 2-3, 2015. Registration is currently closed.
The Coalition is a collaborative effort of many of the nation’s law school legal clinics dedicated to addressing the unique needs of U.S. military veterans. Although each clinic may have a different focus, issue expertise, and geographic coverage, they all operate with one goal--to address veterans’ legal needs, largely at no expense to the veteran, and to train law students. The Coalition’s mission includes increasing collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Congress, non-profit groups working with veterans, and other federal entities to benefit veterans throughout the country.
To execute this mission, the Coalition is hosting a national conference in the nation’s capital where legal professionals can share best practices and explore synergies that aid veterans nationwide. Attendees and speakers include veteran clinic professionals from major academic institutions, individuals from federal and state courts and agencies who regularly work with veterans, and other professionals who deliver pro bono legal services to military service members and veterans. The conference will also offer guidance for those wanting to learn how to provide such services. Most of the Coalition’s 25 members will have faculty participating on panels.
Topics will include:
- How to start a pro bono clinic
- How pro bono clinics support veterans and the local community
- Elements of a sustainable program, organizational structure, and curriculum
- Community and professional partnerships
- Working with federal and state agencies
- Representing veterans before federal boards and courts
In addition to a day and a half of comprehensive panels that include a beginner and advanced track, featured speakers will include: The Honorable Leigh A. Bradley, General Counsel, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who will provide the keynote remarks for the opening lunch; Senator Mark R. Warner (VA); U.S. Representative Dina Titus (NV-1); and U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12).
Admiral (ret.) John C. Harvey, Jr., Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, will provide opening remarks, and Judge Margaret Bartley of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and Judge Vito Clementi of the Board of Veterans Appeals will participate on a panel to provide perspective from the bench.
Faculty from William & Mary Law School’s Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic (“Puller Clinic”) are scheduled to speak on topics focused on advising advocacy programs that are in their infancy and also those interested in sharing best practices on an advanced track in support of U.S. veterans.
The Puller Clinic will also describe their latest initiative, Military Mondays, a partnership with Starbucks where clinic faculty and students offer advice and counsel to veterans twice monthly in one of Starbucks’ local stores. Military Mondays is being replicated nationwide by other law schools and legal services groups also partnering with Starbucks. For more information, or to make an appointment with the Puller Clinic, go to:
The Puller Clinic helps local veterans receive free legal assistance in obtaining benefits earned through military service. Under attorney supervision, Puller Clinic law students assist veterans with filing claims for disability compensation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Puller Clinic has represented more than 100 clients in hundreds of disability claims, obtaining life-changing back compensation benefits of nearly one million dollars, with a present value of total benefits over their lifetimes of more than $12 million. For more information please visit:
http://law.wm.edu/academics/programs/jd/electives/clinics/veterans/index.php
The Coalition is aided by the pro bono government relations services of Christopher DeLacy of Holland & Knight, LLP, Douglas Dziak of Nixon Peabody LLP, and Michael Barnicle of Duane Morris LLP, each of whom provide countless pro bono hours in the creation and advising of the Coalition. Their efforts have already resulted in significant benefit to the members of the Coalition and the veterans they serve, and they encourage additional law school veterans’ clinics to join the Coalition to aid in leveraging services and creating systemic change.
The National Law School Veterans Clinic Coalition is grateful to the following sponsors of this conference: Ferguson Enterprises, Dominion Virginia Power, Holland & Knight LLP, Nixon Peabody LLP, Duane Morris LLP, Honeywell, The Coca-Cola Company, McGuireWoods LLP, Virginia Natural Gas, the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, LexisNexis, National Veterans Legal Services Program, Douglas J. Rosinski, Esquire, William & Mary Law School, the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, and other friends of the member clinics.
Those interested in providing additional support to the Coalition’s efforts, or clinics who seek to join the Coalition, can contact veterans@wm.edu.