May 2019 Monthly Brief

30 May 2019 Greetings!

In This Issue:

Managing Director's Message TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro BonoSM (VIP) - Schiff Hardin LLP We're Moving!

Notable News - Now Including Available Pro Bono CAVC Cases

On Memorial Day, The Veterans Consortium took time to remember and honor the men and women who selflessly served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

We are forever in their debt and thank them for the freedoms we enjoy.

Managing Director's Message May is an important month for those of us who advocate for veterans. In addition to Memorial Day on 27 May - a time to honor the men and women of our armed forces that "gave the last full measure of devotion� - we also honored the spouses of those who serve with Military Spouse Appreciation Day on 10 May. This day specifically honor those who serve behind the scenes.

We want to take this opportunity to thank military spouses for their service to our country. They sign on for this duty knowing the risks faced by their service members, and they often sacrifice their own careers with the many moves to new duty stations, living far away from friends and family.

Military spouses play a critical role in the care and transition of their spouse from active duty to veteran. All too often they become caregivers and survivors. We honor them and their sacrifice for our country and we are grateful for the privilege to support them with pro bono services.

We are only able to help to support these veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors because of our dedicated TVC National Volunteers Corps. This month, we had two opportunities to train new volunteers to support our mission.

On 16 May, our partners at Foster Pepper generously sponsored and hosted us for a training in Seattle, WA on Appellate Advocacy before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. On 17 May, Amazon Headquarters (also in Seattle, WA) hosted us for a Discharge Upgrade Training.

We are very grateful for the support we received at each training and we look forward to working with the newest members of our TVC National Volunteer Corps. Welcome to the team!

Jim Carlsen Managing Director

Chief Judge Robert N. Davis speaks at the Appellate Advocacy before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Training at Foster Pepper PLLC in Seattle, WA.

Equal Justice Works Fellow Danica Gonzalves leads a TVC Discharge Upgrade Program training at Amazon HQ, also in Seattle, WA.

TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono (VIP) SM

Schiff Hardin LLP attorneys Tracy Adamovich and Mir Ali each point to a 2017 Veterans Day panel as the origin of a renewed firm-wide commitment to assist United States veterans. Hosted in their Chicago office, and video streamed to its six other stateside offices, the panel discussion was one of the best attended events at the firm.

It came about while making plans to invite a veteran to speak at the firm to commemorate the holiday. Ali recalls one of the attorneys in that meeting wondering aloud, “Why would we bring in an outside vet when we have our own attorneys who are veterans with incredible military experiences to share? That would be most captivating to us.”

So Adamovich was invited to fly from the New York office to join two other Schiff Hardin Army veterans that would take part in the panel, Ali and Sam Bonnette.

“It was such a great thing,” Adamovich says of the panel discussion. “I was so appreciative to share my story with the whole firm.”

Since then, the firm has redoubled its commitment to ser ving veterans, expanding on a veterans inclusion network that began in the fall of 2011. Today, the MASH program (Militar y Appreciation at Schiff Hardin has taken on three pro bono cases for The Veterans Consortium , helping veterans through the legal process to get the benefits they deser ve. The firm has notched three early victories, with the final disposition of the cases still to come. Their efforts are picking up steam and cultivating interest within the firm, according to Ali. For their commitment and dedication in creating a firmwide program devoted to serving our military veterans, the firm of Schiff Hardin has been selected as The Veterans Consortium’s Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono for May 2019.

“The depth of the commitment Schiff Hardin has made to serve our veterans is incalculable,” says Courtney Smith, TVC's D irector of Outreach and Education.

“They have made outstanding progress with the three cases they have taken on and their plan is to engage many more attorneys in the aid of our veteran

service men and women. We could not be more thrilled to be partnering with Schiff Hardin in this venture.”

“The depth of the commitment Schiff Hardin has made to serve our veterans is incalculable,” says Courtney Smith, TVC's D irector of Outreach and Education. “They have made outstanding progress with the three cases they have taken on and their plan is to engage many more attorneys in the aid of our veteran service men and women. We could not be more thrilled to be partnering with Schiff Hardin in this venture.”

For Adamovich, 40, a native of Garden City, New York, becoming a lawyer “was always the end game.” Growing up, she talked endlessly about cases with her step-father, a lawyer, who influenced her greatly with respect to the law.

She was also impressed with the nearby United States Militar y Academy at West Point, which she attended from 1997 to 2001. She found her years at the academy, “challenging, yet rewarding,” and was excited for an opportunity to serve her country.

Her five years of militar y service included an assignment in Bamberg, Germany as a personnel officer supporting the first infantry division and a tour logging casualties in Tikrit, Iraq. Then it was time for Adamovich to pursue her next dream. She attended law school at St. John’s University School of Law and spent her first years in New York with Sullivan & Cromwell, an international law firm. Eager to work in the area of wills and estates, Adamovich took a job as a financial advisor, which positioned her to transition to estate and trust law. Adamovich says her role as a casualty operations officer really shaped the type of law she wanted to practice. She’s thrilled that Schiff Hardin allows her to mix her two worlds.

“From the top down, the firm is very supportive of our veterans work,” says Adamovich who enjoys skiing, traveling and reading in her free time.

The son of immigrants, Mir Ali, 40, grew up in Peoria, Illinois, hearing stories about his parents’ journey to become American citizens. He witnessed their work ethic and how they were able to provide for him with their newly earned opportunities and rights. A desire to give back to his countr y was instilled in Ali from a ver y young age.

He joined ROTC at the University of Illinois and began a three year active duty commitment in 2000. While his unit didn’t deploy immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States, he made the decision to voluntarily extend his Army career. He tried out for the Army Special Forces, and after two years of highly intense training, he was the captain of a 12-person team of Green Berets.

While a captain is normally allowed to stay on a Special Forces team for up to two years, Ali was fortunate to command his team for three years, which included two tours in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2007.

After his second combat tour, Ali was offered a staff position to continue his military career, but he decided to go to law school instead.

“I absolutely loved being on the ground with my team and our local partners,” Ali says. “But, I also always had an interest in law and I wanted to go to law school.”

After attending the University of Michigan Law School, Ali deferred a job offer from Schiff Hardin for one year to clerk for Chief Judge Gerald Rosen, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He is married to his childhood sweetheart and together they are raising three children. In his free time, Ali loves hiking and everything outdoors.

NOTABLE NEWS

TVC will be moving to a new floor in our current office building in June 2019. ​Our new address will be: The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program 2101 L Street, NW Suite 840 Washington, DC 20037 *Please note we will be moving and closed these dates: 14 June 2019 - 17 June 2019

Available Pro Bono CAVC Cases for our current ​TVC National Volunteer CorpsSM Click below to view our list of Available Pro Bono Cases in need of representation by a volunteer attorney.

UPCOMING TRAINING INFORMATION 9 JULY 2019 AUSTIN, TX

*Note: you must be a current volunteer who has taken our training and has been approved as a member on our website in order to log in and view the available cases.

CLICK HERE

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 REGISTRATION WILL OPEN 20 MAY 2019 For more information contact: Volunteer Outreach & Education at volunteer@vetsprobono.org

TVC EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! TVC is seeking an extern to help us win federal appeals cases for our clients. This includes helping with militar y discharge upgrades ("bad paper" discharges) and assisting with determination of final outcomes of client cases.

Externs will receive academic credit.

The extern will support full-time staff attorneys, volunteer attorneys, and clients who appeal to, or receive a remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court.

The selected extern will assist in the full lifecycle of case management, from intake to research and strategy, to Court mandate and follow-up, to determine real-world results and impact. Although any student may apply, we give priority to rising 3L students. We are open to externships that count for either one course per semester, or two courses per semester, depending on your law school's current arrangements and preference.

Please address the following questions in your cover letter: Why do you want to work in the area of veterans law?

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What is your motivation to work with veterans and their families, caregivers, or survivors?

What sets you apart from other candidates?

SUBMIT A COVER LETTER AND RESUME detailing your interest and motivation to Courtney Smith, Courtney.Smith@vetsprobono.org . You may also contact Courtney for answers to questions or additional information.

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