Veterans get more free legal help

The Department of Veterans Affairs is hooking up with other groups to provide pro bono (free) legal services to veterans. The VA, the American Bar Association and The Veterans Consortium and National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium have signed an agreement to improve access to free help.

Whether it’s about foreclosure, eviction or any other legal snarls that surface, veterans need help to ensure that their rights aren’t being violated. The seriousness of the issue came to light during the annual Community Homelessness Assessment, wherein lack of legal help topped the list of needed services.

Step one, per VA Secretary David Shulkin, will be to partner VA medical centers with their communities to create more legal clinics.

Right now there are some 165 free legal clinics in VA medical centers, outpatient clinics and vet centers, with the VA partnered with legal service providers. So they know how to do it. Surely in every VA medical center or other facility there’s space to set up a couple of rooms for a waiting area and private conference areas.

For more information on this new partnership, go online to www.va.gov/OGC/LegalServices.asp and click through the links. For locations that are up and running, see the “click here” link two lines down from Legal Help for Veterans. A spreadsheet will open with all the locations, contact info and areas of specialty. Also click on the List of Organizations Providing Pro Bono Legal Services for Veterans link for a map of states and the directory of pro bono legal assistance.

Remember, if you get into a snag, you’re not alone. Ask whether one of the legal clinics is already up and running at your local VA medical center or outpatient location. Call and ask for their VA Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist.