Veterans Legal Clinic

Veterans

The Veterans Legal Clinic provides legal assistance on a pro-bono basis to all North Carolina military personnel, including active-duty service members, reservists, veterans, and non-affiliated veterans.

North Carolina Community

North Carolina has the eighth-largest veteran population in the nation with 775,000 living in the state or nearly 10% of the state's total population. There are approximately 102,000 active-duty service members; approximately 12,000 National Guard members; and more than 20,000 Select Reserve members.

Students

To become a part of the Veterans Legal Clinic, please contact Professor Steven Virgil at virgilsm@wfu.edu.

VLC Blog

Separation from the Army under Paragraph 5-13: Personality Disorder
December 1st, 2016

Written by Elliott Tomlinson (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner Army Regulations 635-200, Paragraph 5-13 gives the Army the option to separate a soldier from military service based on a personality disorder. However, soldiers should be cautious and take the time to fully understand the implications of a separation …
Veterans Treatment Courts in North Carolina
November 29th, 2016

Written by Adam Nyenhuis (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner Veterans Treatment Courts are a relatively new development that are specifically tailored to the needs of veterans who are facing criminal charges. In 2008, Judge Robert Russell of the Buffalo Drug and Mental Health Courts established the nation’s first …
The Effect of Non-Judicial Punishment
November 28th, 2016

Written by Matt Silverstein (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner An integral part of the military judicial system is its utilization of Non-judicial punishment to resolve many disciplinary issues. This blog post will discuss how non-judicial punishment operates and why it should be taken seriously by members of the …
Regenerative Medicine for the Armed Services at Wake Forest University
November 17th, 2016

Written by Charlee Fox (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner Winston-Salem is home to the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM). The institute has multiple research projects including: cell and gene therapies, replacement organs and tissues, a bladder research center, and —relevant in the armed services context—a military …
The Military to Civilian Transition
November 1st, 2016

Written by Elliott Tomlinson (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner In 2011, the White House established the Department of Defense Credentialing and Licensing Task Force. Its goal–to oversee the execution of credentialing of Department of Defense Service, such as Army and Air Force experience, for service members when they …
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Discharge Upgrades
October 31st, 2016

Written by Kristin Smith (’17″) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner As the United States military continues to become more and more involved in conflicts overseas, men and women returning from deployment continue to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as PTSD. Veterans often have physical wounds, but the …
Veterans’ Employment Opportunities and Assistance
October 31st, 2016

Written by Meghan Holland (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner The military equips veterans with a plethora of skills that can be translated into assets in the workplace. When describing military job candidates some of the strengths noted by the organization, North Carolina for Military Employment, included leadership, character, …
The Differences between Military and Civilian Law: A Note of Caution about Off-duty Behavior
October 31st, 2016

Written by Matt Silverstein (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner It would be clear to most individuals when they look at the military that it is distinctive from civilian life. Not just in the functions that it carries out, but in culture and many other aspects of everyday life. …
Obtaining In-State Tuition for Military Spouses and Children
October 28th, 2016

Written by Adam Nyenhuis (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner The price tag for a college education has skyrocketed over the last several decades, and paying for college has become an increasingly difficult proposition for working families. Accounting for inflation, the average annual cost of attendance at a public, …
Waiving the California National Guard Debt
October 28th, 2016

Written by Charlee Fox (’17) – Wake Forest School of Law Veterans Legal Clinic Student Practitioner The news of the California National Guard call for enlistment bonuses repayment has shaken many service members across the United States. In short, a recent audit found that around $22 million in unauthorized bonuses were given to soldiers.[1] The money …

Proudly Serving Those Who Served.

The Wake Forest Law Veterans Legal Clinic provides legal services to veterans for legal issues stemming from or related to their military service that are currently underserved by existing programs. The Veterans Legal Clinic seeks to serve North Carolina military personnel including active duty service members, reservists, veterans, and non-affiliated veterans. All legal assistance will be provided by Wake Forest Law students under the supervision of a licensed attorney. The Veterans Legal Clinic operates on a pro-bono basis.

The Veterans Legal Clinic offers assistance with a number of practice areas including:

Employment Law - Provide legal services to veterans whose rights to employment are abridged based on military service.
Consumer Protection - Provide legal service to protect veterans from a variety of unfair and deceptive business practices such as credit and predatory lending.
Discharge Upgrades - Help otherwise deserving veterans who receive less than honorable discharges related to post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury reclassify their discharge status in order to become eligible for benefits.
Landlord/Tenant Law - Protect veterans’ rights to early termination of leases and recovery of deposits owed or excess rents paid when called to duty.

The Veterans Legal Clinic has chosen NOT to focus on Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits claims at this time. Many other law school clinical programs devote the entire clinic to this issue. The focus of the Veterans Legal Clinic is to fill a gap in legal services available to current and former military personnel that are unmet by other legal service organizations. At this time, the Veterans Legal Clinic has also chosen NOT to assist with criminal law and family law issues because there are currently several other pro bono organizations fulfilling these legal needs in North Carolina.

Mission

Provide legal services for North Carolina veterans, active duty service members, and reservists with legal issues stemming from or related to their military service.

Vision

Develop a legal clinic program to serve North Carolina veterans, active duty service members, and reservists throughout the state with an array of diverse legal issues.

If you are a member of the Uniformed Services living in North Carolina and have a legal issue, please fill out a

Veterans Legal Clinic Client Application.

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