Widener Law, Vets Clinic cited for community service
The Widener University School of Law and its Veterans Law Clinic are being honored with a 2014 Delaware Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award for community service, the school announced today.
"The Veterans Law Clinic provides a tremendous service to our veterans and we are grateful for the recognition this honor brings," said Interim Dean Erin Daly. "This program is unique because it is an opportunity for our students to provide actual legal representation while they are enrolled in law school. It builds their professional skills within a framework that supports the Widener mission of service learning through civic engagement."
The Veterans Law Clinic, based at Widener Law Delaware, provides free legal aid to disabled veterans and their dependents with claims pending before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The clinic specializes in representing veterans' cases on appeal from VA regional offices located throughout the United States to the Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. It also assists veterans with other veterans law matters, including VA pension cases, VA overpayment cases and discharge upgrades, as well as legal issues that are impediments to financial security, such as expungement of certain criminal charges, collection of medical bills and obtaining Social Security.
The clinic's services come at no charge; the clinic also doesn't keep any portion of financial awards it wins for its clients. It also covers the costs of independent medical exams when they are needed for clients' cases.
In the 2013-14 academic year, the clinic provided representation to 302 clients.
"We thank the state of Delaware and Gov. Jack Markell for this award. It is an honor just to provide these services to veterans every day. We are humbled by the recognition and accept it with appreciation," said clinic director Susan Saidel.
Contact William H. McMichael at (302) 324-2812 or bmcmichael@delawareonline.com. On Twitter: @billmcmichael