June 2019 Monthly Brief

20 June 2019 Greetings!

In This Issue:

We've Moved!

Introducing New Staff Attorney: Jeff Janicke Managing Director's Message TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro BonoSM (VIP) - Stacy Tromble New David Isbell Intern: Laura Grasso Notable News - U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Closed 5 July 2019

Introducing Our New Staff Attorney Jeff Janicke

We're happy to introduce the newest member of our TVC team, Staff Attorney Jeff Janicke, who joined us in May. Jeff screens incoming cases for potential placement with volunteer attorneys and is the manager of the Veterans Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the DC VA Medical Center which is part of our TVC Medical-Legal Partnership

Jeff has been making a difference in the lives of veterans for some time. He became a member of our TVC National Volunteer Corps℠ in 2016 while at McCarter & English, LLP. As a TVC volunteer, he represented clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and successfully obtained a remand for his clients in all four pro bono cases he took. These remands give the client an excellent foundation to succeed in the fight for benefits.

“As the son of a U.S. Army veteran, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve those who have served and sacrificed for their country,” says Jeff. “In addition, as a longtime cancer survivor, I am passionate about helping others who face difficult medical issues.”

Jeff is originally from the Seattle, WA area and attended the University of Washington prior to moving to Washington, DC and attending the George Washington University Law School. He lives in Washington with his wife and son.

To learn more about Jeff please click below.

Click Here

TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono (VIP) SM

Stacy Tromble, Esq. National Veterans Legal Services Program Member, TVC National Volunteer CorpsSM

For every attorney who takes a pro bono case for The Veterans Consortium (TVC), there is a mentor – an experienced veterans law attorney – ready to advise, guide, assist, read briefs or just listen. These seasoned attorneys help volunteers navigate their pro bono cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Stacy Tromble, the Director of Court Appeals for Veterans Claims Litigation for the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is one of those voices of experience for dozens of attorneys. She devotes so much time to veterans’ law matters, that she jokes that her free time is spent reading memorandum decisions published by the court.

In honor of her even-keeled counsel and gentle guidance, Tromble has been selected as our TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono (VIP) for June 2019.

“Stacy is the consummate professional. She works tirelessly behind the scenes of so many TVC cases,” says Judy Donegan, Director of Litigation and Case Management for TVC. “Our pro bono lawyers value her input, her judgment and her assistance. We are thrilled to be able to honor her in this way, as a small token of our thanks for all she has done for our veterans.”

After receiving undergraduate and dual Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo (her hometown) Tromble, 48, began her law career as a litigator with Ropes & Gray in Washington, DC. During her tenure, Tromble also found time for a host of pro bono work, including representing veterans before the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as a member of TVC's National Volunteer Corps.

Her years of volunteering with TVC only solidified her credo that “our veterans have earned the best possible legal assistance that we can provide for them.”

While her father was a Marine in the Korean War and her father-in-law was a World War II veteran who served in England, her desire to serve our military men and women stems from something much broader than that.

“I have such absolute respect for the men and women who have served this country,” Tromble says. “Serving them is a real privilege.”

In her current role as NVLSP’s Director of CAVC Litigation, Tromble is lead

attorney in cases and manages a busy litigation team. She also leverages her expertise as one of the authors of NVLSP’s Veterans Benefits Manual. Tapping into the most up-to-date- information on veterans law and being able to share that with her mentees is an incredible resource for TVC cases.

“It’s a mutual learning experience,” Tromble says of working with her mentees.

“We are sharing on a day-to-day basis and they bring their fresh perspective on cases.” She reviews any written work product, which can be “a good amount of time,” Tromble admits. “But it doesn’t feel like it because it’s enjoyable.”

In her actual free time, Tromble who lives in Gainesville, VA, with her husband and two cats, enjoys gardening, learning about plants and reading histories from the founding era.

New Developments in Veterans Law

Judy Donegan, TVC Director of Litigation & Case Management

In a previous newsletter I wrote about the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturning Haas v. Peake with its decision in Procopio v.

Wilkie. Procopio extends the current Agent Orange presumptions to Blue Water Navy Veterans. An appeal to the Supreme Court, by the Solicitor General, appeared to be a distinct possibility until legislation was introduced.

Notwithstanding, VA Secretar y Robert L. Wilkie’s testimony to a House Appropriations Subcommittee, that the VA did not support the legislation, the bill passed the Senate and is awaiting the President’s signature.

In a recent discussion with the Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, Cheryl Mason, I was informed the VA considers Procopio the law of the land and is processing claims accordingly. At the federal appellate level, the VA is offering settlements where there is evidence that a veteran’s ship was anchored in DaNang Harbor. Where the evidence is lacking, Joint Motions for Remand are being offered, providing an opportunity to gather favorable evidence to support a grant of benefits.

Meet Our David Isbell Intern: Laura Grasso We are pleased to introduce our 2019 David Isbell Intern Laura Grasso.

Laura is a rising 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. There, she will receive a JD and a Certificate of Advanced Study in National Security & Counterterrorism Law in May 2020.

She is a native of upstate New York, where she was born and raised in Endicott.

The granddaughter of veterans who served in both the Korean War and WWII, she began practicing Veterans Law as a 2L at the Wohl Family Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse Law, and has enjoyed being able to give back to the veterans who gave so much for our country.

Laura is looking forward to the opportunity to hone her skills representing veterans at the appellate level and deepening her knowledge about the issues that affect our nation’s defenders at home.

The David Isbell Internship is a part of the TVC Legal Scholars Program and is named after the first chairman of our Executive Board and Korean War veteran, Mr. David Isbell, Esq. Mr. Isbell was a partner in the DC law firm Covington & Burling. He was an authority on legal ethics and offered his pro bono time to work on veterans benefits cases. Mr. Isbell is considered a Founding Father of The Veterans Consortium.

The David Isbell Internship provides an opportunity for law students to gain experience in veterans law by assisting our staff attorneys in screening cases, reviewing records and writing screening memos.

Want to apply for the 2020 David Isbell Summer Internship?

Send a cover letter, resume, unofficial law school transcript, and writing sample to Courtney Smith, Director of Volunteer Outreach & Education, at: Courtney.Smith@vetsprobono.org.

Managing Director's Message June is a month designated to create awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is particularly meaningful to The Veterans Consortium and to the veterans that we serve. We often interact with and assist veterans who have been impacted by and are coping with the effects of this invisible wound. Many of these veterans are seeking our assistance to upgrade their discharge characterization.

The TVC Discharge Upgrade Programâ„ is a nationwide program that provides pro bono legal assistance to veterans with Other Than Honorable discharges due to misconduct related to PTSD or TBI. An Other Than Honorable discharge classification deprives veterans of critical VA benefits, limits their job prospects, damages reputations, and destroys self-esteem.

PTSD and TBI-related injuries resulting from service should never preclude veterans from receiving the benefits and respect they’ve earned.

Since September 2017, TVC has assisted over 2,000 veterans and succeeded in obtaining an upgrade in 83% of the cases we've taken.

Our trained and committed pro bono volunteer attorneys assist in upgrading a discharge to secure benefits eligibility for veterans, restoring the dignity of our country’s warriors. Thank you for making a tangible difference in the lives of veterans in need.

Jim Carlsen Managing Director

NOTABLE NEWS Available Pro Bono CAVC Cases for our current ​TVC National Volunteer CorpsSM

UPCOMING TRAINING INFORMATION

Click below to view our list of Available Pro Bono Cases in need of representation by a volunteer attorney. *Note: you must be a current volunteer who has taken our training and has been approved as a member on our website order to log in and view the CLICKinHERE available cases.

For assistance, email volunteer@vetsprobono.org

GIVE TODAY

Appellate Advocacy before the U. S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims 9 July 2019 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Your gift will help to ensure that our veterans & their loved ones can receive the care, the benefits and the compensation they earned by serving our country.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Fareground, One Eleven Conference Center Plaza Level 111 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701 9AM – 4PM For more information contact: Volunteer Outreach & Education at volunteer@vetsprobono.org

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