NATIONAL VETERANS LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM INC

NVLSP’s core programs and activities include: (1) providing free legal services to help veterans, service members, and their families secure disability benefits from the VA and the United States Armed Forces; (2) recruiting, training, and mentoring lawyer and non-lawyer advocates who represent veterans, service members, and their family members on a pro bono basis on claims for benefits; (3) publishing educational materials that empower advocates for veterans and service members; and (4) providing free legal representation through the Lawyers Serving Warriors® pro bono program (LSW).

NVLSP has represented hundreds of thousands of U.S. veterans who seek disability compensation benefits mandated by Congress for injuries sustained during their active service in the military. We also represent servicemembers whom the military seeks to discharge without providing them and their families those benefits. We undertake these efforts, always for free and overwhelmingly successful, at the VA regional offices and its Board of Veterans’ Appeals, in individual cases and class actions in the federal courts, in appeals to the federal appellate courts, and before tribunals of the Department of Defense and the military departments.

We also achieve enormous multiplier effects by working with and training others to assist veterans seeking disability benefits: We act as co-counsel on many cases with both law firms and law departments of national and multinational corporations. We have trained thousands of private practice and corporate lawyers to handle such cases on their own or with our mentoring; each year we refer hundreds of cases to more than 50 firms and corporate legal departments. We train many thousands more lay advocates – employees of such veterans service organizations as Vietnam Veterans of America and of state veterans commissions through live training programs.

We leverage our deep knowledge of veterans law through NVLSP’s 2,200-page treatise, The Veterans Benefits Manual (VBM). The VBM is considered the lead legal resource on veterans law; on a yearly basis it is updated by the organization and published by LexisNexis. NVLSP has testified before Congress and congressional staff contact us about bills that affect veterans seeking VA benefits.

More than $5.4 billion dollars awarded in disability, death, and medical benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans, service members, and their families. Of the cases we appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims each year, over 96% obtain a reversal of previously denied claims; or, have the case sent back for further review. NVLSP has represented more than 150,000 veterans and service members.