Advocates to discuss discharge upgrades, support for veterans in criminal justice system, transgender military ban
—Vermont Law School will present “Promoting Justice for Military Service Members and Veterans,” an afternoon of discussions with veterans advocates and legal experts from 12:45 to 4:45 p.m. Friday, March 16, in Yates Common Room on the VLS campus. The event is free and open to the public and press.
The Vermont Veterans Legal Assistance Project (VVLAP) at the South Royalton Legal Clinic (SRLC), one of three major poverty law centers in the state, is sponsoring the event with support from Alliance and the Veterans Law Student Association.
“We are pleased to welcome a diverse group of speakers to Vermont Law School to cover a wide range of issues regarding military service members, veterans, and their families,” said Professor Laurie Izutsu, an SRLC staff attorney and clinic lead on the Vermont Veterans Legal Assistance Project. “All community members are welcome to join us, ask questions, and learn more about the services available to veterans and service members, as well as the legal challenges they may encounter.”
Event sessions, which will be moderated by Izutsu and Professor Peter Teachout, a U.S. Army veteran, include:
“Challenging the Constitutionality of the Transgender Military Ban” with Sasha Buchert, a staff attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of Lambda Legal;
“Understanding the Basics of Discharge Upgrades” with Evan R. Seamone, an attorney at the Veterans Legal Clinic at Harvard Law School; and,
“Building Collaborative Support for Veterans in the Criminal Justice System Through the Veterans Treatment Courts” with the Hon. Howard VanBenthuysen of the Vermont Superior Court, the Hon. James Leary of the Nashua District Court in New Hampshire, Chris Whidden JD’18, president of the Veterans Law Student Association at VLS, and Michael Owens, veterans justice outreach coordinator at the White River Junction VA Medical Center.
Continuing legal education (CLE) credit is available and refreshments will be provided during the event. Preregistration is encouraged via Eventbrite.
The Vermont Veterans Legal Assistance Project at the South Royalton Legal Clinic provides pro bono legal assistance to Vermont’s robust veteran population. Clinic attorneys represent veterans with civil law issues in Windsor and Orange counties, as well as on a statewide basis in matters concerning veterans law-specific issues, such as discharge upgrades and appeals from the denial of VA benefits. Through ongoing outreach to community partners, VVLAP continues to develop awareness of veterans’ needs and advocate for integrated, holistic support for veterans. For more information about VVLAP and the South Royalton Legal Clinic, visit vermontlaw.edu/SRLC or call 802-831-1500.
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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation’s largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a juris doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; four master’s degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy, and Master of Arts in Restorative Justice; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, Center for Applied Human Rights, and Center for Justice Reform. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.