Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
We believe that our veterans ~our nation’s defenders~
Table of Contents About The Veterans Consortium 4 Chairman’s Message 5 Executive Director’s Message 7
deserve the care, benefits and compensation they were promised and the best legal services, free of charge, to meet their challenges.
2020 TVC Pro Bono Mission Partner Awards Ceremony 8 2020 TVC Pro Bono Mission Partner Awards Sponsors 10 TVC Executive Board 11 Case Study: Medical Grant Program Helps Vietnam Veteran’s Widow 14 New Judges Named to Court 16 Case Study: A Twenty-Year Battle for Justice 18 TVC National Volunteer Corps Honor Roll 20 Memorial Day Week of Service Virtual Training 23 TVC Legal Scholars Program 24 TVC Welcomes New Equal Justice Works Fellows 24 DC Pro Bono Week 2020 26 Inaugural Legal Advice & Referral Clinic for Women Veterans 27 2020 Staff 28 Financials 30
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Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
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About The Veterans Consortium
A
t The Veterans Consortium, we believe that our veterans in need—our nation’s defenders—deserve the care, benefits, and compensation they were promised, and the best legal services, free of charge, to meet their challenges.
For over 28 years, TVC has been providing the best legal services in federal venues to veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors, no matter where in the world they live. With the help of our dedicated staff, we have handled more than 50,000 legal requests from veterans and their loved ones, trained over 5,250 attorneys from law firms and corporate legal departments across the country, and helped law schools establish and sustain veterans law programs or legal clinics. Our TVC National Volunteer Corps and Mission Partners have helped us succeed in 82% of our federal cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court where our volunteers have achieved two unanimous decisions for veterans. These achievements translate into over $115 million in pro bono legal services provided on behalf of veterans in need, and more than twice that in the lifetime value of care, benefits, and disability compensation that have truly changed our clients’ lives.
attorneys and provide them specialized training, mentors, case materials, and other focused resources to enable and enhance their success. Concurrently, our staff conducts outreach to eligible veterans, diligently screens their cases to identify those with an issue of merit, and carefully matches them with one of our pro bono attorneys best suited to win each case. The Veterans Consortium has operated continuously since its founding in 1992.
TVC operates the Federal Pro Bono Program for Veterans—created by Congress in 1992—on behalf of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, through a competitively-awarded LSC grant. As the leading national 501(c)(3) charity providing legal services in federal venues for veterans in need, we provide legal counsel free of charge from our TVC National Volunteer Corps of more than 5,250 attorneys, paralegals, and related pro bono professionals. We recruit volunteer
“Your program extended an olive branch that I could cling to. Your program is a lifesaving program.” — TVC CLIENT
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Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
A Message from Our Chairman
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fter a promising start to 2020, everything changed in March when our attention turned to the persistent spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our mission. I’m proud to say that the dedicated TVC staff rose to the challenge and quickly adapted to the remote environment that we found ourselves in, without disruption to the quality and timeliness of service.
I want to personally thank the committed members of our TVC National Volunteer Corps and our mentors from large and small law firms, solo practitioners, and law school clinics, all of whom faithfully represented our clients with excellent outcomes. I’d also like to thank our generous sponsors, whose support helped us navigate through this year with its unique challenges. In January, Stephen Jordon began his tenure at TVC as Executive Director, while Judy Donegan was promoted internally to the role of Deputy Executive Director. Steve, a retired U.S. Navy Captain, is a highly accomplished non-profit executive with a sustained record of providing mission-critical leadership and superior program management. Steve most recently served as the Executive Director of the Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI) and Vice President of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Foundation. VEI connects Veterans and military spouses to employment opportunities and provides support to member companies in their efforts to recruit, hire, train and retain qualified Veteran and military spouse employees. Judy Donegan is a skilled leader with proven expertise in veterans’ law, litigation, case management, and all aspects of the federal appellate process. Judy has participated in more than 2,000 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and serves on the Court’s Rules Advisory Committee. Judy also serves as TVC’s Director of Litigation & Case Management, a role she has continued in addition to her new duties as Deputy Executive Director. This year, we expanded our Board by adding three additional directors and turned over two other seats. Two of the new directors are the first women veterans to serve on TVC’s Board. We also added the first member from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), one of the preeminent veterans’ advocacy groups in the nation, as an organizational seat. Ms. Aniela Szymanski, Esq. (USMC Reserve), Ms. Lanita Morgan, Esq. (USN Veteran), Mr. Lee Gardner, Esq. (USN Veteran) and
Mr. John Muckelbauer, Esq. (USMC Veteran) all bring their unique perspectives and make us a stronger and more diverse Board. We also bid farewell to two long standing TVC Board Officers, Gary Butter and Bill Levi. Gary Butter joined the TVC Executive Board in 2009 as its first Vice Chairman. We are deeply grateful for his guidance and commitment to our mission for more than 12 years. Under his leadership, TVC saw exponential growth and efficiencies, which allowed us to increase the quantity and quality of pro bono legal services to the veterans we serve. Gary served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy from 1982 to 1987 and retired from the Naval Reserve as a Captain in 2010. Bill Levi joined TVC as Treasurer in 2012. Bill is a CPA that brought over 30 years of business management and public accounting experience to TVC and he served as Treasurer to its governing Executive Board. Finally, our former longtime Chairwoman Mary Ann Gilleece stepped down as a voting director on the Executive Board but she continues in her valuable advisory role as Chairwoman Emeritus. We thank them for their many years of stewardship and selfless commitment to our organization and those who defended our nation. We are fortunate to have a deep and dedicated pool of staff, volunteers, and supporters who allow us to remain stable, relevant, and resilient in the face of a challenging and changing landscape. I look forward to the coming year and the great work that is still to come. Please join us by volunteering, collaborating as a Mission Partner, becoming a donor, or spreading the word about our mission.
William S. Foster, Jr., Esq. Chairman, TVC Executive Board
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Our Impact Handled over
55,000
legal requests
and their loved ones
from veterans
82% lifetime success rate for federal cases
Recruited, trained and mentored
more than 5,250
attorneys across the U.S.
Value
attorney services
of donated
$126M
Operates
a national that provides valuable legal services
helpline
A Message from Our Executive Director
T
his was a remarkable year for The Veterans Consortium and the nation as we grappled with a global pandemic of enormous scale and human impact. I joined TVC as Executive Director in January and could never have anticipated what would happen in a few short months. On some level, it was a gift to me to see the true nature of the team I have the privilege to lead.
I know that we will look back on this time and be proud of the work we did together to ensure we never wavered in support of our veterans and their loved ones. In true form, our TVC staff, National Volunteer Corps and Mission Partners stepped up to help us maneuver through this national challenge. COVID-19 intensified the need for services, as the vulnerable veterans we serve were already experiencing challenges due to benefits and compensation denied to them. Predictably, the situation was exacerbated by these challenges, but we were able to successfully move into a remote environment without any sacrifice to quality and timely service. Not only did we keep up, but we saw more cases than ever before. There are a few individuals and firms who proactively reached out to the TVC team looking for ways that they could provide additional assistance during the challenges of this year. They are Centonzio Law, PLLC, Foley & Lardner LLP, Mark Matthews Law, McCarter & English LLP, The Law Office of Michael J. Sepanik, and Quarles & Brady LLP. In addition to direct representation, they assisted with screening cases, found critical issues, crafted arguments, wrote briefs, and reviewed records. Their support totaled close to 900 hours of pro bono work, equating to more than $500 thousand dollars of legal services. We are grateful for their partnership and their professional and selfless contributions, all of which had a significant impact on the successful outcome of our cases. Just prior to DC closures in March, we launched a highly successful pro bono legal clinic exclusively for women veterans at the DC VA Medical Center. This clinic (one of only three in the country) is staffed by female volunteer attorneys in a space solely accessed by women. We worked closely with the VA and the DC VA Medical Center to recognize the barriers to access for women veterans and created a solution to provide legal services
in an environment where they felt safe. We have successfully continued to support this clinic and our other pro bono legal clinic virtually during the pandemic. In September, we welcomed two Equal Justice Fellows whose two-year projects focus on new areas of service for TVC. One project focuses on the development of a program to provide awareness, education, support, and free legal services to immigrants seeking U. S. citizenship through their military service. The second project focuses on issues particular to women veterans and management of our recently launched TVC Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Women Veterans. We are deeply grateful for and applaud the unwavering support of our donors this year, whose generous contributions significantly helped with our mission of providing the best legal services, free of charge, to help our veterans and their families meet their challenges. We are fortunate to have an “esprit de corps” within the ranks of our TVC National Volunteer Corps and Mission Partners – a positive energy that helps us meet the growing demand for quality pro bono legal representation. Sincerely,
Steve Jordon Captain (ret) U.S. Navy Executive Director
“To get better representation would be impossible!” — TVC CLIENT
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The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program congratulates Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliff, LLP on their selection to receive the 2020 TVC Pro Bono Law Firm Mission Partner Award in recognition of their outstanding record of service to our nation’s veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors.
2020 TVC Pro Bono Mission Partner Awards Ceremony
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his year, we held our first virtual TVC Mission Partner Awards event on October 29th. This was new territory for us all, but we came together as a team and embraced new ideas to create a meaningful event. We connected with our community in their homes around the country to celebrate excellence in pro bono legal services to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, and to honor the dedicated members of our TVC National Volunteer Corps. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP received the TVC Law Firm Pro Bono Mission Partner Award for their longstanding engagement with pro bono service for our nation’s defenders. Amazon was the recipient of the TVC Corporate Pro Bono Mission Partner Award, as they have a strong commitment to advocating for veterans and their loved ones. Valerie Daye, Esq. was awarded the TVC Chairman’s Award for her
outstanding record of service to those who have served. We exceeded our fundraising goal through the generosity of our sponsors, allowing us to provide the best legal services, free of charge, to meet the needs of veterans and their families.
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program congratulates Valerie Daye, Esq. on her selection to receive the 2020 TVC Chairman’s Award in recognition of her outstanding record of service to our nation’s veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors. Valerie has taken many cases since attending our training in 2016 - all with favorable outcomes. She is a steadfast advocate for her clients, who often contact TVC to remark on her compassionate and effective representation. She is an integral member of our TVC National Volunteer Corps who supports our program and initiatives with enthusiasm. Valerie is also an active volunteer at our weekly Pro Bono legal clinics at the DC VA Medical Center. She participated in the pilot Pro Bono Legal Clinic for
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Women Veterans in October of 2019 and was a great support to us when we launched a permanent clinic this March of 2020. Valerie has a strong devotion to veterans which is apparent in her interactions and advocacy. Her energy, enthusiasm and can-do spirit are evident in her cases as well as her work at our pro bono legal clinics. She embodies our belief that our nations defenders deserve the best legal services free of charge to meet their challenges. This commitment to pro bono service demonstrates that Valerie Daye, has “gone above and beyond the call of duty” on behalf of our nation’s veterans.
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Orrick has a firmwide, long-standing commitment to social justice and impact. Nearly 100 percent of their U.S. lawyers contributed at least 20 hours of pro bono service in 2019. Orrick is also strongly committed to supporting veterans and their spouses, and advocates for the veteran community in many ways. Most notably, under the leadership of Pro Bono Counsel, Rene Kathawala, Orrick became a TVC Core Mission Partner. As part of this partnership, Orrick hosted a CAVC training, which was
webcast to their offices in New York, Houston, Orange County, Santa Monica, San Francisco and Sacramento. Close to two dozen Orrick attorneys attended the training, and 85% of these new volunteers promptly took a case. To date, all outcomes have been successful. Orrick has committed as a Core Mission Partner to continue to engage and encourage their attorneys to take our training and to represent veterans.
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program congratulates Amazon on their selection as our 2020 TVC Corporate Pro Bono Mission Partner, in recognition of their outstanding record of service to our nation’s veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Amazon has a strong commitment to military veterans and their spouses, Left to right: Lloyd Chee, Julie Friar, David Zapolsky. and they have several initiatives which provide transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce. Many of their attorneys advocate for, and take on, pro bono cases representing veterans and their family members. Amazon attorneys, under the leadership of Senior Corporate Counsel, Lloyd Chee, began to offer their pro bono services and to work on discharge upgrade cases in early 2018. After their attorneys attended several virtual trainings, Amazon committed to hosting an in-person training at their corporate headquarters
in Seattle, Washington. This training was webcasted to their international offices to promote our program and to encourage pro bono representation. To date, twenty-three Amazon attorneys have worked with TVC on discharge upgrade cases. These outcomes will have a profound impact on the lives of the veterans they assist, and the ability for them to receive the benefits and care they deserve. Amazon is a dedicated Mission Partner who has committed to continue to engage and encourage their attorneys to take our training and to represent veterans. Their passion for TVC’s work and commitment to pro bono service demonstrates that Amazon has “gone above and beyond the call of duty” on behalf of our nation’s veterans.
T H A N K YO U & C O N G RAT U L AT I O N S T O O U R 2 02 0 AWA R D E E S Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
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Donor Honor Roll
Thank you to our donors whose generous support is critical to our mission.
2020 Event Sponsors CHAMPION
HONOR GUARD
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP Duane Morris LLP
FREEDOM
Fish & Richardson PC
ExxonMobil Corporation
Greene & Marusak, LLC
Squire Patton Boggs
Just Law
PATRIOT Cameron Firm, PC McCarter & English, LLP Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Cameron Firm PC ExxonMobil Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP McCarter & English LLP National Veterans Legal Services Program
VETERAN’S DEFENDER
Squire Patton Boggs
Alston & Bird LLP
$5,000 - $9,999
Chisholm, Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD
National Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Bergmann & Moore, LLC
ODU Law Firm, LLC
Blank Rome LLP
Valerie Daye, Esq.
Butler Snow LLP
William S. Foster Jr, Esq.
ADVOCATE
Centonzio Law, PLLC
$10,000 – $24, 999
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
The American Legion
Capital One Financial Corporation
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Veterans’ Rights Law Group, PLLC
The Law Office of Michael J. Sepanik
GUARDIAN
$25,000 - $100,000
Disabled American Veterans
Jorge Amieva, Esq.
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Gertrude Jewell La Ponzina Law, P.C.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Christopher Tyson, Esq.
National Veterans Legal Services Program
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Bergmann & Moore LLC Blank Rome LLP Buckley LLP Butler Snow LLP Capital One Financial Corporation Disabled American Veterans Centonzio Law, PLLC Kirkland & Ellis LLP Nadine Harduarsingh Quarles & Brady LLP The American Legion
Fish & Richardson PC
$25 - $499 Alan Nuta
Greene & Marusak LLC
Amazon Smile
Jon Brittan
Arthur J. Carcucci
JustLaw
Cate Jackson
ODU Law Firm, LLC
Catherine Nathan
Veterans Rights Law Group
Christopher Tyson Claudia Daley
$500 - $1,499
Deocarlo D. Camacho
Alston & Bird LLP
Everett Ward
Chisholm, Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD
Falen LaPonzina Gertrude Jewell
Jayanth Jayaram
Gustavo Mayen
Joseph Miller
Jeffrey Markowitz
Kelly Engstrom
John Nownes
Law Office of Michael J. Sepanik
Jonathan Davis
Law Office of S.L. Ayers Marsha Feldmann Michael Nardotti Midland Community Foundation National Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Jorge Amieva Lorenzo DiSalvo Matthew Shepard Myla Haider Patricia Kramer Rene Felipa Rita Powers
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs
Suzanne Gregory
Nicole Monachino
Wrenne Bartlett
Valerie Daye William S. Foster, Jr.
William Lewis Zoe Godfrey
Veterans Law Office of Amy B. Kretkowski PLC White & Case LLP
Paralyzed Veterans of America
$1,500 - $4,999
Quarles & Brady LLP
Alves Family Charitable Foundation
Veterans Law Office of Amy B. Kretkowski PLC
Duane Morris LLP
Attig | Curran | Steel, PLLC Bracewell LLP
White & Case LLP
Butler Weihmuller Katz & Craig LLP Crowell & Moring LLP
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TVC Executive Board Members We would like to recognize the exceptional service of two TVC Executive Board Members who have recently stepped down after many years of faithful service to The Veterans Consortium.
WILLIAM S. FOSTER, JR., ESQ.
GARY M. BUTTER, ESQ.
LEONARD J. SELFON, ESQ.
(Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP)
(Google, Inc.)
(Paralyzed Veterans of America)
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary & Director
Our all-volunteer Executive Board is responsible for establishing vision, providing stewardship and governance, and supporting The Veterans Consortium as it delivers high-quality pro bono legal services effectively and efficiently to veterans, their families caregivers and survivors. GARY BUTTER, ESQ. JOINED THE TVC EXECUTIVE BOARD IN 2009 AS ITS FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN. We
LEE GARDNER, ESQ.
MARY ANN GILLEECE, ESQ.
MARIO A. MARQUEZ, ESQ.
(Google, Inc.)
(The Private Bar)
(The American Legion)
Chairman Emeritus
Director
Director
are deeply grateful for his guidance and commitment to our mission for the past 12 years. Under his leadership, TVC has seen exponential growth and efficiencies, which have allowed us to increase the quantity and quality of pro bono legal services to the veterans we serve. Gary currently serves as in-house patent counsel in the New York office of Google, Inc. and is also an adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. Gary was a submarine officer in the United States Navy from 1982 to 1987 and retired from the Naval Reserve as a Captain in 2010.
BILL LEVI, CPA, CGMA, JOINED THE TVC EXECUTIVE BOARD AS TREASURER IN 2012. He brought over LANITA MORGAN, ESQ.
JOHN MUCKELBAUER, ESQ.
ROY E. SPICER
(Schmoyer Reinhard LLP)
(Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.)
(Disabled American Veterans)
Director
Director
Director
30 years of business management and public accounting experience for The Veterans Consortium and served as Treasurer to its governing Executive Board. Bill is the Managing Director at W. Levi and Associates, a firm that provides accounting, tax and consulting services.
The TVC staff bid them both farewell and we thank them for ANIELA SZYMANSKI, ESQ. Director
(Warrant Officers Association of the U.S. Coast Guard)
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their many years of stewardship and selfless commitment to our organization and to our nation’s defenders.
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connected to military service. Due to Mr. McKinley’s Vietnam service, a diagnosis of CAD would serve as the basis for a service-connected condition. This would then trigger the Board’s duty to consider whether the service-connected CAD was a contributory cause of death, because CAD as a diagnosis raises the possibility of other active diseases which might ultimately render him less capable of resisting the effects of his actual cause of death. This argument
CARE OF NORMAN HILE, ESQ.
On November 17, 2020, the Board granted the claim in full. Mrs. McKinley ended up receiving a payment of approximately $197,000.00 and will continue to receive a monthly payment until she passes or remarries. She was ecstatic about the outcome, as was Ms. Kondor. This decision will allow Mrs. McKinley to live comfortably, and it also honors her husband’s service and sacrifice.
M
rs. Patty McKinley, the widow of a Vietnam War veteran, was seeking benefits based on her contention that her husband’s death was due in part to his military service. TVC placed her case with our TVC National Volunteer Corps member, Rachel Kondor, who had previously handled only one appeal at the Court.
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certificate amended to reflect that CAD had played a role in his death.
During his lifetime, Mr. McKinley was service-connected for post-traumatic stress disorder, residuals of a puncture wound to his right thigh, and neuropathic damage of the right thigh. In 2008, he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. This is significant because CAD is a condition which is presumptively linked to exposure to Agent Orange.
Ms. Kondor’s opening brief argued that the Board’s decision erred in at least eight different ways. She pointed out the inherent contradictions in the medical opinions relied on by the Board, including a statement that Mr. McKinley did not even have a diagnosis of CAD. Despite her well-crafted arguments, the Court affirmed the Board’s decision. In the decision, Judge Michael Allen noted that Ms. Kondor correctly argued the Board’s failure to explicitly state whether Mr. McKinley had a CAD diagnosis, but determined this error was harmless.
Mr. McKinley passed away in early 2009 and his death certificate listed a ruptured abdominal aneurysm as the immediate cause of death. Two VA examiners considered whether CAD was linked to his death and determined that it was not. Prior to appealing to the Court, Mrs. McKinley tried and failed to have the death
Ms. Kondor then moved the Court for reconsideration. She redirected the Court to her initial brief, which argued that the error in this case carried a significant and obvious prejudice to Mrs. McKinley and was therefore not harmless. Entitlement to survivor’s benefits hinges on establishing that a condition is
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
“I CAN’T EMPHASIZE enough how critical the funds we obtained through TVC’s medical grant program were to prevailing in Mrs. McKinley’s case. Without the funds to pay for a new medical opinion, we wouldn’t have been able to show that the Veteran’s service-connected ailment (CAD) contributed to his cause of death.” — Rachel Kondor, Esq.
TVC’s Medical Grant Program Helps Vietnam Veteran’s Widow
Mr. Lucky McKinley served on active duty in the Army from July 1968 to January 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam, thus VA conceded that he was exposed to Agent Orange.
for a grant for a new independent medical opinion, which TVC was able to provide using donated funds. Ms. Kondor attended a training held by TVC on how to provide representation at the Board, used the funds to obtain a new medical opinion, and then wrote a brief on behalf of Mrs. McKinley.
CARE OF NORMAN HILE, ESQ.
was rooted in 38 C.F.R. § 3.312(c)(3), which dictates that when determining contributory causes of death, careful consideration should be given to any diseases involving active processes affecting vital organs, even when the primary cause of death is unrelated, because of the potential that Mr. McKinley would be rendered less able to resist the cause of death. This argument was successful, and the Court withdrew its decision affirming the Board’s denial and issued a new decision remanding the claim.
Ms. Kondor proved to be a tireless advocate for Mrs. McKinley. She used every tool at her disposal in this case by moving for reconsideration, continuing representation post-remand, and securing a Medical Review Grant from TVC. “IT IS INCREDIBLY UNLIKELY THAT MRS. MCKINLEY could have seen such an outcome without the hard work of Ms. Kondor. She is a valued member of our National Volunteer Corps, which she demonstrated by going above and beyond in representing Mrs. McKinley at the Board. Her efforts made all the difference in this case and show the impact of our volunteers on the lives of veterans and their family members.” — Samantha Farish, Esq.
Ms. Kondor worried that this would be a challenging case for Mrs. McKinley to pursue at VA on her own, but despite having no prior experience with VA-level advocacy, Ms. Kondor agreed to work with TVC and continue assisting the widow. She also applied to TVC
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New Judges Named to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
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udge Grant C. Jaquith was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims by the President of the United States on September 19, 2019, confirmed by the United States Senate on July 23, 2020, appointed by the President on September 1, 2020, and took the judicial oath the next day.
Until his judicial appointment, Judge Jaquith had served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York since July 1, 2017, leading the work of 50 lawyers in four offices who prosecuted federal criminal cases and represented the United States in civil litigation, from investigation through trial or other resolution and appeal. While United States Attorney, Judge Jaquith served as Vice Chair and then Chair of the Servicemembers’ and Veterans’ Rights Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. Judge Jaquith became an Assistant U.S. Attorney on August 6, 1989; he served as the NDNY’s Narcotics Chief and Chief of the Albany Office from 1998 to 2006, Chief of the Criminal Division from 2006 to 2010, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2010 to 2017. In 2016, Judge Jaquith was honored by the Department of Justice with a national Director’s Award for Executive Achievement. Judge Jaquith was commissioned in the U.S. Army in 1979 and served in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1982 to 2011, rising to the rank of Colonel in 2004. His military awards include the Legion of Merit. Judge Jaquith was an Army circuit judge from
2001 to 2010, presiding over courts-martial at forts throughout the continental United States and in Alaska, Germany, and Korea. In 2006, he was activated to serve as the trial judge at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Judge Jaquith’s other military assignments, including active duty from 1982 to 1988, involved advising commanders and staff on legal aspects of disciplinary actions and command administration and operations; providing legal assistance to soldiers, veterans, and their families; settling civil claims; providing instruction on legal issues; litigating at administrative boards; and prosecuting criminal cases. Judge Jaquith was in private practice with Bond Schoeneck & King in Syracuse from 1988 to 1989 and taught Juvenile Law and Federal Income Taxation at Drury College, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in 1984. In 1982, he interned at the Public Defender’s Office in Gainesville, Florida, where he represented defendants in misdemeanor trials. Judge Jaquith received his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law in 1982 and a Bachelor of Science (cum laude) in business administration and accounting from Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina, in 1979, from which he was a Distinguished Military Graduate.
J
udge Scott J. Laurer was nominated by President Donald J. Trump, confirmed by the Senate, and in August 2020 he received his judicial commission, becoming a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Before his judicial appointment, Judge Laurer served as Deputy Legal Counsel to the National Security Council at the White House. There he advised the President, Vice President, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the staffs of the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council. Judge Laurer served in the United States Navy for 30 years, retiring from active duty as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He supported combat operations as senior legal advisor for the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group during its historic 10-month deployment for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Southern Watch, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a senior officer, Judge Laurer held various distinguished positions including the following: Special Counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations; Commanding Officer, U.S. Region Legal Service Office Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia; Special Legal Advisor to Commander, International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan; Senior Legal Advisor to Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command; and Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A Woodbury, New Jersey, native, Judge Laurer graduated from Rutgers University. He earned his juris doctor from Temple University School of Law and his Master of Laws (international law) from The George Washington University Law School.
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Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
ON SEPTEMBER 24, The Veterans Consortium (TVC) co-hosted a one-day webinar with Georgetown’s Center on National Security and the Law to discuss the most pressing issues facing veterans today. The Honorable Robert N. Davis, Senior Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, was the event’s keynote speaker. Appointed by the President in 2004, he served as a chief judge from October 9, 2016, until December 3, 2019. During his keynote, he highlighted racial disparity in the military justice system, meeting the challenges faced by military survivors of sexual assault, dysfunction in the discharge upgrade system and appealing denial of benefits to ensure veterans receive the care to which they are entitled. He also elaborated on the roles the U.S. CAVC and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit play in benefits adjudication. The symposium also featured discussions on the need for immediate attention to PTSD caused by multiple combat deployments; medical and psychological trauma inflicted by sexual assaults in the military; and criminal records, incarceration, and punitive discharges resulting from racially disparate imposition of military justice. The symposium was an informative, collaborative event, and we are thankful to Georgetown University for their assistance in making it a success.
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A Twenty-Year Battle for Justice
H
alldora Hart (née Henderson) was raised in a military family. Her father was in the U.S. Navy and her brothers served in the Marine Corps. After high school, Halldora became a certified medical assistant with the goal of pursuing a career in the medical field to ultimately attend nursing school. She saw an opportunity to do just that through military service, enlisting in the U.S. Navy in April 1995. She successfully completed Recruit Training at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, graduating second in her class of eighty recruits. Halldora was then sent to Basic Hospital Corps School at the Naval School of Health Sciences in San Diego, where she graduated in the top 10% of her class. Upon completion of Corps School, she was stationed at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego. By all accounts, Halldora was well on her way to a successful medical career in the Navy and was chosen for a coveted position in the orthopedic pediatric unit, where she assisted in surgeries at Balboa Naval Hospital. It was during this time that she began to receive persistent and unwanted advances from a senior person in her chain of command. Halldora made it very clear that she felt the advances were inappropriate and that she was uncomfortable with his behavior. But the insulting and suggestive behavior continued. “WHEN I JOINED THE MILITARY, IT WAS A FRESH start for me. I excelled at, and embraced, recruit training and Corps School,” says Halldora. “This was my time to stand strong and make a future for myself. All that changed in July of 1996.” In July 1996, Halldora was physically assaulted by the same person at a birthday party after she had thwarted his advances and confronted him regarding his crude and inappropriate remarks. Thankfully, she was able to fight off and escape her attacker, but she suffered an injured knee, for which she sought medical treatment. After the incident, her assailant began a campaign of harassment and intimidation in the workplace towards Halldora on a regular basis. Halldora confided in a colleague who encouraged her to file a report. From there, an investigation was initiated. Unfortunately, during the investigation, Halldora remained in the same post and was forced to see her assailant daily. A short time later, Halldora learned that the charges against the man who assaulted her were being dropped because of conflicts in the various witnesses’ testimony. She was transferred to the OB/GYN unit, where her assailant’s pregnant wife was a regular patient.
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Halldora was left feeling frustrated and unsafe because of her chain of command’s failure to act and protect her. Her fears and anxiety were worsened by her work assignment, which required her to repeatedly interact with her assailant’s wife. “DURING THIS TIME, I FELT UNSAFE, I HAD no self-worth and no longer wanted to continue in a job that I loved,” says Halldora. “I began to unravel and felt that no-one believed me.” A chaplain referred her for counseling. The chaplain and the counselor tried to facilitate a transfer so she would not have to work in the OB/GYN department, to no avail. The counselor’s notes, from a session on July 31, 1996, note that Halldora “definitely qualified for PTSD and that the symptoms first occurred in July 1996, at the time of the assault.” Halldora was still forced to see not only her assailant’s wife but her assailant himself due to her unchanged duty assignment. During a session with her counselor on August 27, 1996, she reported that a “senior person” told her she would have to learn to deal with these types of events because “she [was] pretty.” Despite her counselor telling her supervisor that working in OB/ GYN was detrimental to Halldora, the notes in her file continued to reflect that she was not transferred. She was left with no choice but to continue working in the OB/GYN department for four months after the assault, regularly facing her assailant and his wife. Due to the immense stress of the situation, Halldora’s mental and
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
physical health continued to decline, and she began using drugs to cope with her continued trauma.
in the Navy in the 1960s, so she could relate to issues of culture in the Navy.
At a Captain’s Mast on April 24, 1997, Halldora was convicted of violating Article 112A of the UCMJ. The memorandum of the Captain’s Mast asserts that “HA Henderson did . . . on or about 10 April 1997, wrongfully use crystal methamphetamine.” She was transferred to Operations and on May 15, 1997, she was discharged under “Other Than Honorable Conditions.” Recounting this time in her life, Halldora states,
After reviewing Halldora’s file and speaking with her client, she found that the records told the story. “The trauma and secondary traumas in Halldora’s case were all there. The story was compelling and needed to be told.” Valerie was able to create the timeline and show the continuing impact as it existed, by crafting the argument with the facts in the record and contemporaneous sources.
“WHEN I WAS FIRST DISCHARGED, I WAS relieved that I would no longer be treated like that anymore – I just wanted out. I used the drugs to numb my feelings and continued to struggle with drugs after being discharged.” Two years later, Halldora requested reconsideration of her OTH but was told that her records had been destroyed in a fire. Even after working with a VSO and her state senator’s office, she was unable to retrieve any records. so she gave up. Almost eighteen years after her OTH, Halldora went back to a VSO for help. The VSO found out that the records had, in fact, not been destroyed in a fire and requested them again, but the VA would not release them. Her VSO encouraged Halldora to file a disability claim because the VA would then have to retrieve her records. It took over two years to get the records, but she was eventually given disability benefits at a 70% rating. However, she still had her OTH and was told that she was past her 15-year mark and could not apply for an upgrade. Halldora ended up moving to Massachusetts and went to visit her local VSO. There, she found a flier for TVC’s Discharge Upgrade Program. She reached out to DU Program Manager, Danica Gonzalves, Esq., and her case was accepted. Halldora’s case was taken by TVC National Volunteer Corps attorney, Valerie Sanders.
“THE BOARD DID THE right thing and upgraded Halldora’s discharge to fully Honorable. Having an attorney on these cases is more important than it should be, but we are trained to write compelling and persuasive arguments and that is a key element in the success of these upgrades.” — Valerie Sanders, Esq. Since her discharge, Halldora has become a licensed cosmetologist who has raised and supported three children as a single mother. She has also been assessed by the VA as having 100% service-connected PTSD due to military sexual trauma. She recently married and now gives back to her community as a yoga instructor. “THE OTHER THAN HONORABLE DISCHARGE was a dark secret hanging over my head for so many years. I can now hold my head high and this makes everything whole again. I spent so much of my life not standing my ground. This is a lesson to not give up. If you or someone you know has an OTH, please reach out toThe Veterans Consortium. It can change your life. Valerie gave me a voice that I thought I’d lost. Having a lawyer was crucial to my success.”
“WHEN I SPOKE WITH VALERIE, IT WAS THE first time I didn’t feel like someone thought I was crazy or lying. My experience in the Navy had made me think that no one would believe me.” Valerie Sanders, Esq., counsel at Eversheds Sutherland LLP, had attended a TVC Discharge Upgrade training held by Danica. Once she was eligible to take cases, she chose to work on Halldora’s. This case was personal for Valerie, as her mother enlisted and served
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
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2020 TVC National Volunteer Corps Honor Roll We thank our volunteers for devoting their time, expertise and resources to our nation’s defenders. U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), Federal Veterans Pro Bono Program
CORPORATE PRO BONO AT&T Paula Finlay Keith Krom Cargill Incorporated Nicole Murphy Charles Koch Institute Kimberly Morris Exxon Mobil Corporation Philecia Moore Vic Pyle Greystar Catherine Newell Long Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Gail Storck PNC Financial Services Erin Felix Laura Gleason Rohit Khandekar Kelli Lee Jennifer Malkin Lisa Moore Joy O’Brien Melinda Turici Joan Zangrili Skyward, A Verizon Company David Lincoln Verizon Dawn Damschen Gregory Harris
GOVERNMENT PRO BONO Corporation of National and Community Service Helen Serassio Government of Puerto Rico Veteran Advocate Office Evelyn Herrero-Rodriguez Texas Dept of Health & Human Services Janet Totter
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TVC’s Discharge Upgrade Program℠
United States Department of Homeland Security Elizabeth Harvey
David Tobin Matt Welch James Williams
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Chris Adeyole Reshawna Banks June Chung Stacey Demps-Barrett Diane Duhig Lara Eilhardt Alicia Harrington Dick Hipolit Bill Hudson Kerry Loring Art Traynor
Ballard Spahr LLP Matthew Lamb Beins, Axelrod PC Rodney Harrell Blank Rome Justina (Tina) Byers Eddie Edwards Craig Haring Buckley LLP Caitlin Kasmar
Washington State Court of Appeals Cameron Sheldon
Cameron Firm PC Jonathan Brenner Peter Cameron Megan Ellis Kathryn McCahill
LAW FIRM PRO BONO
Carlton Fields John Stull
Anderson & Graham LLP Tiffanie Graham Alston & Bird Sean Bedford Lauren Bolcar Sean Corcoran Martha Doty Alsup Law James Alsup Tracey Alsup Attig | Steel, PLLC Chris Attig Alexandra Curran Augustus Law Firm LLC Andrea Augustus Baker Botts LLP Katherine Burke David Dyer Megan LaDriere Mysha Lubke Jennifer Nall Clark Oberembt Bryan Parrish Clarke Stavinoha
Carpenter Chartered Kenneth Carpenter Kenneth Dojaquez Centonzio Law PLLC Javier Centonzio Victoria Tamayo Cooley LLP Aaron McKenney Cozen O’Connor Jesse Keene Dan B Law PLLC Daniel Bretzius Dechert LLP Brian Love Desmarais LLP Thomas Derbish Christian Dorman Justin Wilcox DLA Piper LLP Michael Haworth Dorsey & Whitney LLP Alex Hontos Erin Kolter Joseph Lynyak, III
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Medical/Legal Partnerships
Remands
Duane Morris Joe Aronica John Baird Rebecca Bazan Robert Bramnik Katherine Brodie Sean Burke Nicole Candelori James Cooke Amauri Costa Ryan Eletto Keith Feigenbaum Joseph S. Ferretti Kristina Gill Sheila Hollis Josh Javitz Ken Keane Heidi Lunasin Michelle Prado Rob Ruben Michael Schrier Matt Taylor Chris Tyson Tairan (Terry) Wang Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC Jessica Arena Robert Gastner Edward Noonan ERA Law Group LLC Valerie Anias Evans & Dixon LLC Paul Krauter Eversheds Sutherland John Zerwas Fish & Richardson PC Thomas Halkowski Grayson Sundermeir Dexter Whitley Foley & Lardner LLP John Custer Julia Di Vito Cynthia Harkness Jeffrey Kopp Jennifer Luther Jennifer Park
Ryan Parsons Jason Sharp Jihwang Yeo Foster Garvey PC Ben Hodges Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP Elizabeth Kalanchoe Garreans Law LLC Amy Garreans Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Jaysen Chung Vladmir Semendyai Sean Twomey Chris Whittaker Timothy Zimmerman Goodwin Procter Paul Jin Grace Turong
Law Office of Alison J. Brown Alison Brown
Shawn Smith Steven Weisman
Law Office of Anne Keith Walton Anne Keith Walton
McDermott Will & Emery Paul Schoenhard
Law Office of David A. Keller David Keller
Morgan Lewis Natalie Bennett
Law Office of David T. Flanagan David Flanagan
Naylor & Braster John Naylor
Law Office of Douglas G. Jackson Doug Jackson
ODU Law Firm LLC Layi Oduyingbo
Law Office of Gustavo Mayen Gustavo Mayen
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Margaret Abernathy John Badalich Harry Moren Nicholas Sabatino
Law Office of Joseph Miele Joseph Miele Law Office of Lonnie S. Keene Lonnie Keene Law Office of Marie H. Kramer Marie Kramer
Parmele Law Firm James Pavisian
The Law Office of Amy Suzanne Borgersen Amy Borgersen The Law Office of Augusta Siribuo, LLC Augusta Siribuo The Law Office of Derek T. Smith Derek Smith The Law Office of Eloy Aguirre Eloy Aguirre The Law Office of Paul I. Timpone, Esq. Paul Timpone The Law Office of Tim Connelly Tim Connelly The Wilds Law Firm Gwendolyn Wilds Thompson & Knight LLP Kevin Clark
Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP Kristine Maher
Law Office of Mark R. Myers LLC Mark Myers
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Tanya Manno
Greenberg Traurig LLP Christopher Dodrill
Law Office of Michael J. Sepanik Michael Sepanik
Perkins Coie LLP Tara Kurtis
VA Benefits 4 Vets Jason Mendoza
Green & Marusak Jonathan Greene Daniel Marusak
Law Office of Michael Wolchansky Michael Wolchansky
Piatt Law PLLC Jason Piatt
Law Office of Nicholas L. Phinney Nicholas Phinney
Pokalsky Wilczynski Brozek LLP Anne Pokalsky
Veteran Esquire Legal Solutions, PLLC Jonathan Davis
Law Office of Rebecca L Bartlett Rebecca Bartlett
Porco Law Christopher Porco
Law Office of Sean Kendall Megan Deaton Timothy Franklin
Quarles & Brady LLP Amanda Cavazos Otto Hinks Lukas Landolt Amy Lenz Jordan Schettle Rachael Scoggins
Grubaugh Law LLC Joshua Grubaugh Haseeb Legal LLC Syed Hussain Health Advocates LLC Kamaria Davis Maria Marigomen Hrabcak & Company, LPA Heidi Hrabcak Jenner & Block Adrienne Benson Jeff Immel Grant Schweikert Lee Van Voorhis
Law Office of Thomas J. Kniffen Thomas Kniffen Law Office of Timothy Macri Timothy Macri Law Offices of Robert R. Davis Robert Davis Law Offices of S.L. Ayers Stephani Ayers
JLC Legal PLL James Calis
LaPonzina Law, P.C. Falen M. LaPonzina
Joseph & Kirschenbaum LLP Charles Joseph
Larbi Legal Tamesha Larbi
K&L Gates LLP Michele Barnes Travis Gery Stephanie McCleery Matt Shell
Littler Mendelson PC Matthew Hank
Kallio Law Firm LLC Eric Kallio King & Spalding LLP Michael Dohman Just Law Michael Just Klaerner Law Melissa Klaerner Law Office of Abisola Elabanjo Adebayo Elabanjo Law Office of Alex T. Shapiro Alex Shapiro
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP Anne-Raphael Aubry R.S.M. Law Firm Raza Mahmood Resch Law, PLLC Jamie Resch Richard L. Bailey Law Firm Richard Bailey Scott Shah Law PLLC Stefanie Scott
Lynch & Lynch Matthew Ilacqua
Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP Kyle Steingreaber
Manne Law Office Jason Manne
Sidley Austin LLP James Bieke
Mayer Brown LLC Michael Heffernan Maura McDevitt Samuel Stender
South Tampa Legal, PA Sheila Mosakowski
McCarter & English LLP Moira Batista Natalie Mantell Gregory Mascitti David Mordkoff Michelle Movahed Charles Ray
Tri-Source Pharma, LLC Thomas Hunter
Veterans Law Office of Amy B. Kretkowski, PLC Amy Kretkowski Veterans Rights Law Group Lorenzo DiSalvo Julia Gieseking Chad MacIsaac Vet Law Brendan Garcia Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP Joseph Figueroa Wells Law Group Michael Wells West & Dunn Jonathan Heiden Jason Johns Eric Pangburn Travis West Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP Scott Barker White & Case LLP Lily Kim Mara Klebaner Kyle Levenberg Michael Lu
Squire Patton Boggs Aaron Garavaglia
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Jonathan Davey John Lynch
Steptoe & Johnson LLP John Perkins
Woodall & Pflepsen PC Keith Pflepsen
Stevenson Law Firm PLLC Marsha Stevenson Tabak Law LLC Hannah Zacharias
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SOLO PRACTITIONERS Jorge Amieva Margaret Anthony Andre Batson Allison Bauer Amanda Bedford Constance Berkley Patrick Berkshire Diana Bradford Colin Carriere Schantell Comegys Lillian Crawford-Abbensetts Valerie Daye Leslie Dean Kathy Diener Robert Dwyer Ogochukwu Ekwuabu Jesse Groves Diane Hester Stephanie Holden Gina Holness Robert Jackson D. Renee Jenkins Toni Jennings Gertrude Jewell Mitch Kessler Martin Kueblbeck Andrew Levitt Ryan Lipes Edward Lukey Leslie Machado John Malsbary Scott Martin Mark Matthews Aaron Moshiashwili Paul Nelson Dianne Olson Nicholas Paine Nina Patterson Christopher M. Pitts Kevin Puntney Catherine Quirion Sean Ravin Joseph Rogers Mary Royar Gordon Sargent Brian Segee Wendy Selman Gail Storck Michael Toomey Rosanne Trabocchi Fritzie Vammen Thomas Veltz Dana Weiner Larry Wescott Samantha Wiggins
LAW SCHOOL PRO BONO Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Alyssa Dragnich Concord Law School at Purdue University Global Scott Johnson
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Georgetown University Law Center Judson Adams Josh Adler Lauren Bidwell Ian Carrico Matthew Doyle Meagan Edmonds Elizabeth Fray Emily Marshall Claire Maxa Annie Morgan Robert Murstein Michelle Perez Katie Rosenberg Tiernan Still Lauren Zhang Sherry Yu Golden Gate University School of Law Daniel Devoy Rutgers Law School, Civil Practice Clinic Traci Overton Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University Ann Ching Seton Hall University School of Law Katherine Moore Stetson University College of Law University at Buffalo School of Law Rina Hernandez Stacey-Rae Simcox The Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana Hillary Wandler The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law-Columbus Community Legal Services Jeff Hayes Devin Lattuga Larry McCammon Michael Mcgonnigal Alexander Thomas Moreta Jennifer Rocha Ikrom Omonov Emily Thomas Anne Ustynoski
University of Florida, Levin College of Law Judy Clausen University of Puerto Rico School of Law Monica Pascual William & Mary Law School David Boelzner Caleb Stone
PUBLIC SECTOR PRO BONO Better Lives for Soldiers Denise Meenan Equal Rights Center Megan Brooks Equal Justice Works Krista Selnau Environmental Defense Center Rachel Kondor Koch Companies Jackie Williams National Veterans Benefits Attorneys Brandon Steele National Veterans Legal Services Program Christopher Toms Native American Disability Law Center Steve Tarnowski Neighborhood Legal Services Program Elizabeth Denise Curtis Paralyzed Veterans of America Linda Blauhut Jennifer Zajac The Veterans Consortium Judy Donegan Caitlin Ens Samantha Farish Elanna Lochan
The George Washington University Law School Ruth Afiesimama Natalee Ball Roxanne Cassidy Matthew Parker Jacob Reiskin Kyler Smith Rebecca Watson
Vietnam Veterans of America Alec Ghezzi Justin Huber Felicia Mullaney Heather Olson
TVC Honors Our Veterans with Week of Service Training
I
n May 2020, TVC held our first Week of Service training. Our intention was to celebrate Memorial Day through training new volunteers to serve our nation’s veterans. These sessions were held over May 26-May 28 via Zoom conferencing. Doing our training online helped us to reach a new class of potential volunteers nationwide while accounting for everyone’s safety and comfort level.
Day one featured “Appellate Advocacy before the U.S. Court of Appeals”, taught by Courtney L. Smith, Esq., TVC Director of Volunteer Outreach & Education. Veterans who have had claims unjustly denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) apply for and are assigned a TVC volunteer, who will then provide the veteran with pro bono representation at the U. S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) in order for the veteran to regain eligibility for benefits. Courtney trained these new volunteer attorneys on how to represent our deserving veterans at this level. The second day of training focused on “Military Discharge Upgrades”, and was hosted by Danica Gonzalves, Esq., Director of our Discharge Upgrade Program, which is sponsored by the DAV Charitable Service Trust. This Program is nationwide and seeks to serve veterans wrongly given an Other Than Honorable Discharge due to conduct related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Danica trained viewers who attended this session on how to apply for a change in the veteran’s discharge characterization so they can become eligible for VA benefits. On the third day, Samantha Farish, Esq., our Equal Justice Works Fellow hosted by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, led a training on “Veterans Benefits Advocacy/Remands”. This opportunity, also nationwide, exists to assist veterans with securing benefits after the CAVC remands their claim to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA). Samantha trained attorneys on how to identify what argument or evidence is necessary for the veteran to prevail at the BVA, and receive compensation for their disability or injury.
Each training session was at capacity and we welcomed over 170 new members to our National Volunteer Corps! We hope to continue this type of training going forward to continue to best meet the needs of our volunteers and our veterans.
“You all do a great job on this. My mentor…is great. I am pacing myself but would like to take on more and more of these at no cost to the veteran…this is truly a win-win.” — TVC VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY
University of Baltimore School of Law Katy Clemens Blair Thompson
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Removing Removing Barriers Barriers ToTo Access: Access: Meeting Meeting Veterans Veterans Where Where They They Are Are
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TVC Legal Scholars Program
W
e operate the Veterans Consortium Legal Scholars Program as part of our mission to encourage and facilitate pro bono representation by law school clinical and other appropriate programs. This effort introduces law students to the federal Veterans Pro Bono Program and exposes them to careers serving veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors.
Summer 2020 David Isbell Interns MATTHEW PARKER was a rising 3L at The George Washington University Law School when he joined TVC as an intern. Originally from Owings, MD, Matt completed his undergraduate studies at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, where he graduated with a degree in Economics in 2018. At GW, he served as the InterOrganization Coordinator for the Military Law Society and previously worked with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps as a summer intern in San Diego, CA. During his summer internship and fall externship, he was able to rotate through the Appellate Practice, Discharge Upgrade, and Remand Advocacy teams. Upon graduation, Matt hopes to join the JAG Corps in one of our nation’s military branches “I COME FROM A LARGE MILITARY FAMILY BACKGROUND, and having witnessed our servicemembers commitment and sacrifice first-hand, I wanted an opportunity to serve the community that selflessly served us.” RINA HERNANDEZ was a 3L at The University at Buffalo School of Law at the time of her TVC internship. Originally from Long Island, NY, she became interested in Veterans Law after participating in her school’s Veterans Law Practicum. She earned her bachelor’s degree in French Language & Literature and Political Science from Fordham University in the Bronx, NY. At UB, Rina was the Vice President of the Student Bar Association, Articles Editor of the Buffalo Law Review, President of the Latin American Law Students Association, and Vice President of the Christian Law Student Fellowship. Rina completed rotations in TVC’s Remands, Discharge Upgrade and Appeals programs. After law school, Rina intends to join the Air Force JAG Corps. “I CHOSE TO INTERN AT TVC AFTER BECOMING INVOLVED with my school’s veterans law practicum, where I learned of the importance of serving those who served. As someone applying to be a JAG Officer in the future, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn and work at TVC.”
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Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
TVC Welcomes Two Equal Justice Works Fellows
T
he Veterans Consortium was fortunate to have been selected to host two outstanding Equal Justice Works Fellows who will join us to support new initiatives focused on serving the needs of veterans. We are very grateful to their sponsors, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Covington & Burling LLP, for their generosity and commitment to veterans and to supporting real life solutions to serve their unique needs CHESLEY ROBERTS, ORIGINALLY FROM Tallahassee, Florida, is a recent JD graduate from Stetson University College of Law. Her two-year project, sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, focuses on the legal needs of women veterans and the unique issues they face. She will support the recently launched TVC Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Women Veterans, which is held at the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center’s Women’s Health Clinic (DC VAMC). This legal clinic is exclusively for women veterans and staffed by female volunteer attorneys. Chesley will help to manage the clinic, provide direct legal services, and research and compile resources to navigate certain legal issues and other barriers that women veterans face. Chesley will work with our volunteer attorneys, law schools, and Veteran Service Organizations to further understand and address issues that impact the lives of female veterans.
develop a referral program that can be delivered to veterans organizations to expand the reach of this program. She will also conduct outreach to create a new Volunteer Corps to identify and train new attorneys. Finally, she will provide free legal assistance to veterans who are applying for military naturalization and appealing naturalization denials.
“GROWING UP IN A MILITARY FAMILY, I WITNESSED firsthand the sacrifices veterans and their families must make. I’m passionate about making sure our veterans receive the help they deserve and I’m very grateful to Lockheed Martin for sponsoring me and allowing me to serve women veterans.”
“IT HAS BEEN EXCITING TO SEE OUR TEAM collaborate closely with Chesley and Nicqelle to design these groundbreaking projects and then celebrate their selection as EJW Fellowships. We are deeply grateful to their sponsors, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Covington & Burling LLP and Lockheed Martin Corporation for investing in these young lawyers and supporting new initiatives in veterans law.”
NICQELLE GODFREY GREW UP IN Sacramento, California and recently earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center. She is sponsored by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Covington & Burling LLP. Her two-year project focuses on the development of a program to provide education, support, and free legal services to immigrants seeking naturalization through military service. Nicqelle will
“SERVING NON-CITIZEN VETERANS THROUGH naturalization is a perfect blend of my family background. One of my grandfathers was a Korean War veteran; the other an immigrant to the United States. I’m excited for this opportunity and very grateful to Northrop Grumman and Covington & Burling LLP for their sponsorship of my fellowship and of this important initiative.” During their two-year fellowships, Chesley and Nicqelle will advance the cause of justice for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Their respective projects have the potential for enormous impact on the lives of our veterans.
— Steve Jordon, TVC Executive Director
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DC Pro Bono Week 2020
I
n honor of DC Pro Bono Week 2020, TVC hosted three simultaneous legal clinics to serve our nation’s veterans. Our clinics, which took place on October 30th, represented three lines of service that we provide.
Our Legal Advice & Referral Clinic for all veterans was held virtually and run by TVC Staff Attorney Caitlin Ens. Our additional Pro Bono Week Women Veterans Legal Clinic was also virtual. TVC Equal Justice Works Fellow Chesley Roberts, who is sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, ran this clinic as part of our Women Veterans Legal Assistance Program. Currently, these clinics both serve veterans in the DMV. Our virtual Discharge Upgrade Legal Clinic was nationwide. We were able to serve several veterans and their family members in the DC Metro Area. We accomplished this thanks to the services and support of the following members of our TVC National Volunteer Corps members and Mission Partners.
Inaugural Legal Advice & Referral Legal Clinic for Women Veterans
O
n Tuesday, March 10, The Veterans Consortium launched the Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Women Veterans at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center (DC VAMC) in the Women’s Health Clinic. This new initiative is part of our standing Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) with the DC VAMC.
LaPonzina Law, P.C. Falen LaPonzina
Equal Justice Works Krista Selnau
Columbus School of Law Ikrom Omonov Emily Thomas
Duane Morris LLP Joe Ferretti Kristina Gill Ken Keane Heidi Lunasin
Georgetown University Law Center Ian Carrico Matthew Doyle
George Washington University Law School Natalee Ball Matthew Parker
Our Pro Bono Week Discharge Upgrade clinic served 23 veterans nationwide. Attorneys from Blank Rome LLP and PNC Bank volunteered. This was the first virtual event for the Discharge Upgrade Program and we look forward to holding more clinics in the future. Thank you to the following volunteer attorneys who participated in this very successful DU clinic: BLANK ROME Jayme Butcher Thomas Cialino Frank Dante Richard McMahon Zachary Perkins Peg Hill
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Masha Trainor Alexandria Popovnak * A special thank you to Krystal Kane and Kathy Ochroch from Blank Rome for spearheading the effort.
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
PNC BANK Jamie Whetzel Jim O’Connell Bethany Miller Sharon Phillips Amelia Rideau Jonathan Salzman
In May 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by TVC, Neighborhood Legal Services Program (NLSP), and the DC VAMC to establish TVC’s Veterans Pro Bono Legal Clinic in the Transition & Care Management Center (TCM). Although the clinic is well utilized by veterans, it was clear to our staff and volunteers that women veterans were not accessing this free resource in the numbers that we would have expected. In October 2019, as part of a Pro Bono Week initiative, we decided to host a pilot legal clinic for women veterans in the Women’s Health Clinic at the DC VAMC, staffed only by women attorneys. This would allow women who served to seek out legal services without having to leave a designated safe environment. The Women’s Health Clinic is a space exclusively for women and staffed by female providers. It is a “safe space” where women veterans feel protected from sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior by men. The pilot clinic was very well received. We served 20 women veterans that day and it was clear that we needed to provide this service on a regular basis, in a space where women veterans were more likely to engage, share their experiences and seek out resources.
Working closely with the leadership of the Women’s Health Clinic, our Mission Partners at Duane Morris LLP, and with the overwhelming support from the General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, we launched the Monthly Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Women Veterans in 2020- the fourth such clinic in our nation. This was a team effort and a great example of collaboration and the social impact of Medical-Legal Partnerships. We look forward to this clinic becoming a template for others around the country.
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2020 Staff
STEPHEN JORDON
JUDY DONEGAN, ESQ.
MARY BENTON
PETER GREGORY
CATE JACKSON
MIKE KAIL, ESQ.
JIM CARLSEN, ESQ.
BRIAN CLUBB, ESQ.
TY COLLIER, ESQ.
CATHY KLINGLER
JOSIE PEERY
SANDY PETERSON
GIOVANNA COPAT
Paralegal, Client Services
CLAUDIA DALEY Director, Communications and Development
ANNA EAKER
COURTNEY SMITH, ESQ.
DEE WALLACE
LEONCE WILSON
CAITLIN ENS, ESQ.
SAMANTHA FARISH, ESQ.
DANICA GONZALVES, ESQ.
PAUL COOK
ED GLABUS
SCOTT BILLIGMEIER
Executive Director
Deputy Executive Director
Director of Program Operations
Staff Attorney
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Staff Attorney, Discharge Upgrade Program
2020 Equal Justice Works Fellow
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Client & Veterans Law Specialist
Staff Attorney
Client Services Specialist
Discharge Upgrade Program Manager
Volunteer Outreach & Education Coordinator
Docket Administrator
Director, Volunteer Outreach & Education
Senior Fellow
Client/Stakeholder Outreach Coordinator
Office Administrator
Discharge Upgrade Program Specialist
Senior Fellow
Director of Program Operations
Director, Client Services
Veterans Law Specialist
Senior Fellow
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Give Today WITH LINES (PER EXCEL)
FINANCIALS Financials
Our Report Card Since 1992
STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (AUDITED) DECEMBER 31, 2020 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents
$1,564,589
Investments Accounts receivable
1,266
Prepaid expenses
61,614
TOTAL ASSETS
$1,681,469
Attorneys Trained
5,250
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued expenses Accrued salaries and related benefits Deferred grant revenue DAV
701,170 199,178 33,333
Success Rate
82%
17,371
1,115,643
Net Assets - unrestricted
Value of Donated Services
$126M
565,826
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$1,681,469
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES (UNAUDITED) YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 REVENUE Legal Services Corporation - Veterans Pro Bono Program Corporate contributions & Events Americorps, Equal Justice Works Grants and DAV Chartiable Service Trust
$2,702,810 224,024 304,911
Donated services Investment income
5,194
TOTAL REVENUE
$3,236,939
EXPENSE Program Services Legal Services Corporation - Veterans Pro Bono Program Discharge Upgrade
$2,765,239 229,912
Donated Funds - The Pro Bono Program Total Program Services
69,101 3,064,252
Supporting Services Volunteer Appreciation
TOTAL EXPENSE CHANGE IN NET ASSETS Net Assets - beginning of year
NET ASSETS - END OF YEAR
10,105
3,074,357 162,582 403,242 $565,826
Contributions available as of 12/31/2020
433,797
Contributions received as of 12/31/2020
625,000
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS/INTEREST
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Your gift helps ensure veterans and their loved ones receive the care, benefits, and compensation they earned by serving our country. Online Via PayPal ©
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Please contact via email at outreach@
full extent of the law.
You may indicate at checkout if your
vetsprobono.org to discuss ways that
donation is being made in memory of
you or your friends can support our
someone.
work through in-kind donations.
memory of a veteran that has served
CFC# Donation
that has given their time to serve
We participate in donations through
veterans, please contact outreach@
the Combined Federal Campaign
vetsprobono.org.
Direct Mail Checks made payable to The Veterans Consortium can be mailed to 2101 L Street NW, Suite 840
SUMMARY OF DONATED FUNDS AND EXPENSES (UNAUDITED) Interest earned 1/1/2020 - 12/31/2020
Washington, DC 20037
CONTRIBUTIONS AVAILABLE AS OF 12/31/2020
If you would like to make a donation in our Country, or a volunteer attorney
program. We appreciate your considering us. CFC#: 95004
Connect with us
1289
$192,492
www.vetsprobono.org @vetsprobono #theyfoughtforus
LESS Expenses Paid from Contributions 1/1/2020 - 12/31/2020
55,000
107,182
Deferred grant revenue - Equal Justice Works Deferred rent liability
7,420
Veterans Requests Handled
$48,477
Deferred grant revenue - LSC
Total Liabilities
Cases Placed
$102,500
$625,000
CFC#: 95004 30
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
Removing Barriers To Access: Meeting Veterans Where They Are
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
31
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program (TVC) is a leading national 501(c)(3) charity providing free legal services in federal venues for veterans in need.
For more information about our program, please contact us: The Veterans Consortium 2101 L St NW, Suite 840 Washington, DC 20037 Phone: 202-628-8164 Toll Free: 888-838-7727 Email: mail@vetsprobono.org www.vetsprobono.org
@vetsprobono #theyfoughtforus