The Military and Veterans Law Clinic primarily serves low income former servicemembers who are currently precluded from receiving Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and disability benefits because of their discharge status. Students represent clients before military administrative boards and the VA. Students may also serve as expert veterans benefits consultants for active duty military defense counsel.
Enrollment Options and Credit Hours
- Full year (fall and spring semester) – 4 credit hours per semester
- Fall semester only – 4 credit hours
- Spring semester only – 4 credit hours
Skills Learned
- Lawyering
Skills
- Client interviewing and counseling
- Issue spotting
- Factual investigation
- Research skills
- Developing a theme and theory
- Written advocacy
- Oral advocacy
- Legal office operations
- Substantive
Knowledge
- Developing expertise quickly
- Military criminal law
- Veterans Law
- Professional Responsibility
- Mental Health and the law
- Taking
the Initiative
- “Owning” a case and thinking multi-disciplinarily
- Knowing when to ask for help
- Understanding the value of public service
- Confidence
- Comfort with the unknown
- Comfort with working in “grey areas”
Requirements
- Pre-requisite courses: None
- Co-requisite courses: None
Faculty
Clinical Associate Professor of Law, and Director of the Military and Veterans Law Clinic
(919) 962-2888 | jbrooker@email.unc.edu
