WVU law students provides services for veterans
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WVU law students are reaching out to veterans seeking legal help and camaraderie. |
October 15, 2009 ·
West Virginia University law students formed a veteran's law caucus and hope to offer free legal services to military personnel.
Jonathan Brill vividly remembers his first day of law school, sitting in a crowded room with dozens of students.
It was comforting to meet another student returning to school after serving in the military in Iraq.
Brill says the two men soon decided to develop a veteran’s law caucus.
“The big reason why we wanted to start this thing is that there is a bind with veterans that other people just don’t have,” he said.
“There’s a saying, basically, if you run into a veteran, you run into your brother. You already know him.”
The veteran’s law caucus schedules events to encourage camaraderie among all veterans.
It also sends supplies to soldiers overseas and raises money for veteran’s services across the state.
Brill now hopes to start a veteran’s law clinic at WVU.
“A law clinic is similar to a medical clinic,” he said.
“If you are a third year student, you can enroll in the clinic and get class credit for representing lower class citizens that otherwise wouldn’t have access to legal services.”
Currently, WVU has a general law clinic.
Brill is working to expand it so that it can handle veterans and active duty personnel’s legal needs.
“It’s such a hectic process when you deploy and come back,” he said, “the last thing on your mind is wills and powers of attorney.”
“Unfortunately, the divorce rate is fairly high with returning veterans as well.”
Brill hopes the law clinic can start within the next year.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, West Virginia is home to more than 200,000 veterans.