Tag: Veterans Legal Clinic (Page 1 of 2)

HLS Hosts Panel on Providing Legal Services to Underserved LGBTQ Veterans

The AFA teamed up with Harvard Law’s Lambda (an affinity group for LGBTQ and allied students), the National Security & Law Association, and the Veterans Legal Clinic to host a panel of attorneys and leaders working to support LGBTQ veterans.

The presenters included:

  • John Campbell, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, and former Department of Defense Under Secretary for Warrior Care
  • Evan Seamone, Veterans Legal Clinic of the Legal Services Center
  • Lynn Girton, Veterans Legal Services

The presenters discussed and took questions about the mental health and physical health consequences of identity concealment related to the military’s discrimination policies, such as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The presenters also discussed their efforts to provide legal services to veterans discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and to help them access Veterans Affairs disability benefits.

Meeting the Needs of LGBTQ Veterans

We’ll discuss the mental health and physical health consequences of identity concealment related to the military’s discrimination policies, such as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The presenters will also discuss their efforts to provide legal services to veterans discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and to help them access Veterans Affairs disability benefits.

Presenters include:
– John Campbell, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, and former Department of Defense Under Secretary for Warrior Care
– Evan Seamone, Veterans Legal Clinic of the Legal Services Center
– Lynn Girton, Veterans Legal Services

Lunch will be provided!

Sponsored by HLS Lambda, Armed Forces Association, National Security & Law Association, and the Veterans Legal Clinic of the Legal Services Center.

VA Secretary Shulkin Speaks at HLS

On November 2, 2017, Dr. David Shulkin, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, delivered the 2017 DAV Distinguished Speaker Lecture at Harvard Law School. Former National Commander of DAV Alan Bowers, a disabled combat veteran of the Vietnam War, provided introductory remarks. The event was co-hosted by the Veterans Legal Clinic and AFA.

After the lecture, Secretary Shulkin had lunch with community leaders to discuss critical issues in the veterans community, and he later traveled to Jamaica Plain to visit the Veterans Legal Clinic.

For the full article, please visit the Legal Services Center’s website. The Harvard Law Today and the Harvard Gazette also reported on the event.

Disabled American Veterans’ Lecture by U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David Shulkin

On November 2nd, the Secretary of Veterans of Affairs Dr. David Shulkin will speak at Harvard Law school about issues facing the veterans community, VA initiatives, and ongoing challenges.  The event is co-sponsored by the Disabled American Veteran Charitable Trust, the Veterans Legal Clinic of Harvard Law School’s Legal Service Center, and the Armed Forces Association.

The event is open to the public.  No tickets or RSVP are required.

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Affairs Decision Argued at HLS Helps Thousands of Veterans Whose Disability Claims Have Been Denied

Originally posted on Yahoo!

In a decision that impacts thousands of veterans, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims has ruled that Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Wilson J. Ausmer, Jr., a highly decorated veteran, should be able to file an appeal of his disability claim even though he had missed the 120-day deadline to do so.

The case was argued in October 2013 at Harvard Law School before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as part of the Veterans Legal Clinic of the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, which is administered through a partnership of Harvard, the law firm of Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick and DAV (Disabled American Veterans).

The precedent-setting decision paid particular note to the difficulties faced by those who served multiple deployments. LTC Ausmer was serving in Afghanistan on his second combat deployment in the Middle East when his disability claim was denied. The Court ruled the deadline should have been extended.

In its decision, the Court cited “the difficulties faced by service members returned from deployment to a combat zone” and noted that since “…the evidence establishes that the appellant had difficulty readjusting to civilian life, the Court finds that the appellant’s deployment and military service materially affected his ability to protect his legal rights under section 524.”

The Court stayed the appeal period for 90 days after LTC Ausmer’s military service was terminated so that his case can proceed.

The Veterans Court also decided that the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”) applies to proceedings before the Court. The Court applied SCRA and first found that the 120-day period did not begin to run until LTC Ausmer was discharged from active duty.

CCK’s and the Clinic’s interpretation of the Court’s ruling is that it effectively allows recently discharged veterans whose ability to file an appeal is “materially affected” by their service a full 210 days from the date of discharge to appeal adverse BVA decisions. This is a huge win for veterans’ rights, as the Court’s holding would logically extend to appeals filed at the VA as well. In Fiscal Year 2013, over a 100,000 appeals were filed at the VA.

Read original posting and full article here!

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