Veterans and Servicemembers Clinic (IHVSC)

The Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (Veterans Clinic) will provide focused and specialized legal assistance to veterans and servicemembers. Currently there are nearly 1.6 million veterans and military personnel located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Under the supervision of a faculty member, students will learn the substance and process of representing veterans and current servicemembers and the unique legal issues they encounter. Initially, the Veterans Clinic will focus on addressing state and federal policy matters affecting the rights of veterans and servicemembers, and providing legal assistance to a selected group of veterans whose claims have been rejected by the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration (VA) and appealed to the Board of Veterans Appeals. The Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic intends to accept and help litigate VA appeals cases referred to it by local and regional veterans associations. The Veterans Clinic will also seek to develop and/or influence state and federal legislation that affects veterans or current servicemembers, including but not limited to policies addressing military voting issues, creation of veterans courts, issues arising under the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act, and regulations to improve the lives of those sexually assaulted during military service. The Veterans Clinic may also handle appellate matters addressing the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

This clinical experience will be open to students who have previously enrolled in the Veterans Clinic and will build upon the skills that they learned in their earlier experience in the Clinic. The course will involve a senior role in client matters, assignment to more complex client matters, and participation in new initiatives undertaken by the Clinic.