November 10: Webcast+San Francisco - Advocating for Veterans: The Basics on VA Benefits, Discharge Upgrades and Veteran Cultural Competency

There are over 21 million veterans in the U.S; many of them are not aware of the benefits to which they are entitled. Medical and financial assistance are available to those who have served in the military, but many who need benefits the most are not receiving the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits that they need. Navigating the VA claims system and applying for discharge upgrades before the Department of Defense are difficult and complex processes. Attorneys play an essential role in assisting veterans with the problems that preclude them from receiving benefits, such as:

• VA eligibility determinations for those given less than fully honorable discharges for behaviors that were related to minor disciplinary infractions or symptoms of post traumatic stress or other service-related disabilities.
• Lack of proper paper trails to “service-connect” their injuries.
• Lack of current medical or mental health evidence documenting severity of symptoms for accurate disability ratings.

What You Will Learn:
Nearly 45% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seek compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service related injuries. A stunning 30% suffer from post-traumatic stress. Many of those who should receive benefits will be denied. All of them will wait months or years for the VA to issue decisions on their claims. Learn how to navigate the VA claims process and to become an effective advocate for veterans in need. This all day program will provide an overview of VA disability law and military discharge review law. You will gain an understanding of different types of military discharges, why they are important, and how you can help veterans with less than Honorable discharges.
The three one-hour morning sessions provide the basics you need to represent veterans before the VA. It will also cover the interactions between VA benefits and other public benefits, such as SSI and SSDI. The morning session fulfills the VA’s requirement for qualifying CLE within the first 12 months of your VA accreditation.
Attorneys and other advocates must be accredited to practice before the VA.To obtain accreditation you must complete this form:www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA21a.pdf
Accreditation by the VA may take several weeks, so do not delay filing your application.You can speed up the process by emailing the form to OGCAccreditationMailbox@va.gov.
Within 12 months of accreditation you are required to complete three hours of qualifying CLE. The morning session of this program satisfies that requirement, but only if you have already received your accreditation from the VA. If you have not received it, you should still watch this program, but keep in mind that you will need to complete three additional hours of CLE within 12 months after receiving your accreditation.

Title:
Advocating for Veterans: The Basics on VA Benefits, Discharge Upgrades and Veteran Cultural Competency

When/Where:

November 10, 2015
9:00 AM Pacific
San Francisco, CA
Webcast - Register Now!
Also presented in-person in San Francisco.
Speakers:

• Bradford Adams ~ Staff Attorney, Swords to Plowshares
• Michael Blecker ~ Executive Director, Swords to Plowshares
• Starlyn Lara ~ Women Veteran Program Manager, Community Educator and Outreach Program Manager, Swords to Plowshares
• Nicole M. Perez ~ Directing Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
• Kate Richardson ~ Legal Director, Swords to Plowshares
• Maureen Siedor ~ Pro Bono Fellow/Staff Attorney, Swords to Plowshares
• Becca von Behren ~ Staff Attorney, Swords to Plowshares
• Chairs:
• Katherine Dwight ~ Senior Staff Attorney, Swords to Plowshares
• Theresa Mesa ~ Program Developer, Office of Legal Services, The State Bar of California
• Program Attorney: Christina Thompson ~ Program Attorney, Practising Law Institute

Credits:
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
By:
Practising Law Institute
Cost:
Free
More Information And Registration

---

Free CLE Right In Your Web Browser!

Subscribe to 4freeCLE!

4freeCLE is the free Newsletter of free Continuing Legal Education.

Every week, 4freeCLE brings you dozens of opportunities to earn Continuing Legal Education credits without paying dime!

• Webcasts: Bring CLE to your home or office
• On-Demand Recordings: Let you learn what you need when you need it
• In-Person: Traditional classroom settings give you the maximum opportunity for interaction and networking.

4freeCLE is and always will be free. Subscribe Now!