Holland & Knight Veterans Group

VETERANS GROUP

The Holland & Knight Veterans Group was founded on the fundamental premise that the men and women who have served our country and defended our freedoms deserve our talent and resources to improve their quality of life. The Veterans Group’s goal is to support veterans, active duty military members, reservists and the families of each through pro bono and community service activities in our local communities and on a national basis. In addition, the Veterans Group collaborates, where appropriate, with other organizations that support veteran and military communities. In 2020, the Veterans Group was named “Veterans Program of the Year” by the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America. In 2022, Holland & Knight was commended as an “Outstanding Firm” in the Veterans Advancement category by the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards: North America.

PRO BONO SERVICES

Holland & Knight feels that it is a privilege, and a responsibility, to assist veterans in need.

ABA Military Pro Bono Project – Holland & Knight is the only firm to receive the American Bar Association (ABA) Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award each year since its inception in 2012. The ABA Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military attorneys on behalf of junior-enlisted, active-duty military personnel facing civil legal issues.

Governor’s Initiative on Lawyers Assisting Warriors (GI LAW) – Holland & Knight serves on the Steering Committee of the GI LAW program announced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in April 2019. Through GI LAW, Holland & Knight provides pro bono legal counsel to Florida’s active-duty service members in a variety of civil matters, including actions in local courts.

ABA VCAN – Holland & Knight attorneys prepare and prosecute veterans’ benefit claims through the ABA Veterans Claims Assistance Network (VCAN). The firm also sponsored a free three-hour CLE program on preparation of VA benefits claims.

VetLex – Holland & Knight participates in the VetLex program, which provides veterans with pro bono counsel for specific legal needs such as civil, criminal or administrative.

ABA’s Section of Taxation and the Internal Revenue Service – Each year, Holland & Knight professionals partner with the ABA’s Section of Taxation and the Internal Revenue Service to coordinate a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that assists military members and their families.

Veterans Consortium – Holland & Knight professionals provide representation for veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in connection with the Veterans Consortium.

Boston Veteran Treatment Court – Holland & Knight supports the Boston Veteran Treatment Court by assisting veterans participating in treatment with preparing VA benefit claims.

VA Claims – Holland & Knight professionals assist veterans and their families nationwide with a wide range of VA claims. Such claims include: VA disability claims (ranging from Agent Orange-related claims to PTSD), disability appeals, overpayment of debt claims and VA veteran’s pension and survivor’s benefits (including housebound and aid and attendance).

State Law Related Claims – Holland & Knight professionals assist veterans and their families nationwide where there are Holland & Knight offices with a variety of state-law related claims. Such claims include: eviction assistance, bankruptcy assistance, consumer protection claims and other tort-related claims.

Veterans Legal Services – Holland & Knight professionals provide free and comprehensive civil legal aid services to economically disadvantaged military veterans in Massachusetts. Pro bono legal services include housing eviction, discharge upgrades, wills/healthcare proxies and state/federal veterans benefits.

Swords to Plowshares – Holland & Knight professionals help support the mission of healing the wounds of war, restoring dignity, hope and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and preventing and ending homelessness and poverty among veterans.

Holland & Knight is dedicated to providing pro bono legal assistance to military and veteran clients. Since 2016, Holland & Knight has performed over 42,000 hours of military and veteran pro bono valued at more than $28 million. The table below provides a more detailed breakdown of Holland & Knight’s military and veteran pro bono in the last five years.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Since 2018, Holland & Knight attorneys and staff prepared and sent more than 1,145 care packages to deployed service members. In addition, since 2017, Holland & Knight has contributed more than 425 days’ worth of community service. Such community service included:

Participating in Wreaths Across America in Dallas and Arlington

Preparing care packages for the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund

Maintaining, painting, landscaping, and otherwise supporting the Chicago Hope Manor Apartments, which provides permanent support housing for homeless veterans

Creating lanyards for veterans and teddy bears for children of military families in connection with Operation Gratitude

COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Refurbishing the Walter Reed Bethesda Fisher House Complex, which provides a residence for service members and their families while receiving medical care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Preparing and serving meals at the New England Center and Home for Veterans

Holland & Knight Veterans Group is at the forefront of military and veteran initiatives nationwide and collaborates with other organizations that share its core values.

NLSVCC

Holland & Knight professionals have advised and assisted the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium (NLSVCC), and Law Schools for Vets clinics, which recently received its official recognition as the nation's 93rd Veterans Service Organization.

ABA LEADERSHIP

Daniel Sennott was appointed in 2022 to serve a three-year term on the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP Committee). Nicholas Hasenfus previously served on the ABA's LAMP Committee from 2019 to 2022 and is currently a special advisor to the ABA LAMP Committee. Daniel Sylvester served on the ABA's LAMP Committee from 2016 to 2019.

VETERAN JOBS MISSION

Holland & Knight is the first and one of only two law firm members of Veteran Jobs Mission, a private sector-led coalition committed to hiring U.S. military veterans and military spouses. The coalition now comprises of more than 250 companies that represent almost every industry in the American economy.

MISSION UNITED

Holland & Knight attorneys and staff actively participate in MISSION UNITED' s nationwide expansion. Retired Partner Stephen Moss helped found MISSION UNITED in 2013 with the United Way of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale. The organization supports military service members, veterans and their families by helping them re-acclimate to civilian life. Since its inception, MISSION UNITED has served more than 12,000 veterans and their family members.

CONTACT US

Daniel J. Kavanaugh Veterans Group Co-Chair Business Partnership Chair Orlando | 407.244.1139 daniel.kavanaugh@hklaw.com

Gordon Griffin Veterans Group Co-Chair Executive Chair Washington, D.C. | 202.469.5122 gordon.griffin@hklaw.com

LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (LSC) VETERANS TASK FORCE

The Veterans Task Force is a new initiative to assist former military service members in overcoming legal problems that create barriers as they transition from active duty to civilian life. Retired Partner Stephen Moss and Partner Nicholas Hasenfus currently serve on the Veterans Task Force implementation team, which works to implement recommendations from the report published by the Veterans Task Force.