Veterans Assistance Project

Overview

Veteran Intake Line: 212.382.4722 or 877.564.3383

Convinced that having skilled legal counsel greatly improves veterans’ chances of receiving the benefits they deserve, the City Bar Justice Center launched the Veterans Assistance Project in October, 2007. The Project is designed to meet the needs of the 254,000 veterans living in New York City by providing pro bono assistance with disability benefits claims before the New York City Regional Office of Veterans Affairs. In New York regional offices alone, nearly 20,000 disability compensation claims were processed in fiscal year 2006. More than 70% of these cases included veterans who were reopening claims either to increase their disability rating or to appeal the denial of their benefits.

With the guidance of Justice Center staff, volunteer lawyers help veterans file claims and appeals with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Assistance ranges from locating service documents and medical records to preparing and filing claims and directly representing veterans at hearings. In less than a year, more than 160 veterans met with legal counsel, and the Project leveraged over half a million dollars in free legal services for veterans.
 
The Veterans Assistance Project has successfully begun the mobilization of lawyers and legal institutions to address this timely issue and make a significant impact on the backlogged system as well as on the individual lives of many veterans. In its first year, the Project hosted two training events and held seven free legal clinics during which 200 volunteer lawyers received specialized training in veterans’ affairs, and over 160 veterans met with legal counsel.  The project has already leveraged over half a million dollars in free legal services for veterans.

For more information, please view our Veterans Assistance Project Report.