February 24, 2020
Today the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services (NYS DVS) announced a new strategic partnership with the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) to provide unprecedented free access to legal representation for New York’s veterans and their families in appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and, in certain instances, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Colonel (USA, Ret.) Jim McDonough, Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services said, “The Division is excited to establish New York’s first-ever partnership with the National Veterans Legal Services Program. Under my leadership, I have prioritized the importance of access to justice for veterans and their families, and such access necessitates high-quality and accessible legal representation for New York’s veterans and their families in their appeals to obtain the benefits they earned in service to our nation. This collaboration with NVLSP is an important step to ensure proper representation for New York’s veterans and their families in appellate proceedings in the future.”
This partnership will enable NYS DVS to accredit NVLSP attorneys, so they are able to represent New York’s veterans and their families in appeals when the VA has made an error of law. This now allows veterans and their family members who previously could not afford a private attorney to represent them in these proceedings to have access to free legal representation in these complex cases. This provides New York’s veterans with fair and equitable access to needed legal representation.
Additionally, as an agency that prioritizes learning and training for its staff of advocates, NYS DVS will capitalize on NVLSP’s frequent trainings to NYS DVS’ many Veterans Benefits Advisors. This increased legal knowledge and unique perspective will provide an enormous added value to NYS DVS staff, who in 2019 alone brought in more than $700 million in tax-free federal dollars from representing New York’s veterans and their families in claims and appeals for VA benefits. This partnership will serve as a critical component of NYS DVS’ mission to assist New York’s veterans and their families in accessing the benefits earned by virtue of their military service.
NVLSP Executive Director Bart Stichman said, “We are delighted to partner with the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services to provide training for their staff and to provide pro bono representation at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to New York’s veterans who are erroneously denied benefits by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. We look forward to working together and leveraging our collective knowledge to help New York’s veterans and their families access the benefits to which they are entitled.”
About the Division of Veterans’ Services
The New York State Division of Veterans’ Services is New York’s advocacy agency for all veterans, service members, and their families. For 75 years, the Division has connected generations of veterans, members of the military, and their families and dependents to multiple economic, medical, and social benefits and services earned as a result of their military service.
In calendar year 2019 alone, the Division’s accredited Veterans Benefits Advisors, all of whom are veterans themselves, brought in more than $700 million in tax-free monetary benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for New York State’s veterans and their family members. Additionally, the Division remains a leading entity for direct advocacy on behalf of veterans, service members, and their families in obtaining the full range of state and local veterans’ benefits. At all times, the Division strives to provide high-quality support, advice, and advocacy for all individuals who rendered military service to our Nation and State. For more information, visit www.veterans.ny.gov.
About NVLSP
The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is an independent, nonprofit veterans service organization that has service active duty military personnel and veterans since 1981. NVLSP strives to ensure that our nation honors its commitment to its 22 million veterans and active duty personnel by ensuring that they have the benefits they have earned through their service to our country.
NVLSP has represented veterans in lawsuits that compelled enforcement of the law where the VA or other military services denied benefits to veterans in violation of the law. NVLSP’s success in these lawsuits has resulted in more than $5.2 billion being awarded in disability, death, and medical benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their survivors.
NVLSP offers training for attorneys and other advocates; connects veterans and active duty personnel with pro bono legal help when seeking disability benefits; publishes the nation’s definitive guide on veterans’ benefits; and represents and litigates for veterans and their families before the VA, military discharge review agencies, and federal courts. For more information, go to www.nvlsp.org.