October 2019 Monthly Brief

25 October 2019 Greetings!

In This Issue: Introducing New Executive Board Chairman, William S. Foster, Jr. Managing Director's Message TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono - Javier A. Centonzio Pro Bono Week Pop-Up Legal Clinics 2019 TVC Pro Bono Mission Partner Reception Sponsors Notable News

The Veterans Consortium is pleased to announce that

William S. Foster, Jr.

has been elected to serve as Chairman of the Executive Board

The Veterans Consortium (TVC ) is pleased to announce that William S. Foster, Jr., has been elected to serve as Chairman of the Executive Board. Mr. Foster succeeds Ms. Mary Ann Gilleece, Esq. who served faithfully as Chairman for 10 years.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Managing Director's Message Our 2019 Pro Bono Mission Partner Reception is less than two weeks away and we are looking

forward to sharing this special evening with you.

We've had a great response and want to thank all of you that have sent in your RSVPs. Due to recent requests, we have extended the RSVP deadline to 28 October at noon.

I want to also express my sincere appreciation to our generous sponsors. We’ve been so pleased by your response and support of our mission. We all share the same desire – to serve veterans and their loved ones and your support helps us to further this mission.

If you have not yet already RSVP’d, please follow the link below. Join us for good food & drink and most importantly, the camaraderie of people committed Nation's Defenders.

to

equal

access

to

justice

for

our

We look forward to welcoming you on 6 November!

Jim Carlsen Managing Director

Purchase Tickets and Sponsorships Here!

Tickets

TVC Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono (VIP)

Javier A. Centonzio, Esq. Centonzio Law PLLC TVC National Volunteer Corps

SM

Few people have the inspiration and drive of Marine Corps veteran and attorney Javier A. Centonzio. Centonzio, who served as an infantryman in Iraq, was inspired to become a lawyer and advocate for veterans after a close friend was killed in Iraq.

“I wanted to honor his memory,” Centonzio says of his late friend. Upon his return home, he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in just two years, followed by Stetson University in Florida for his law degree.

While at Stetson, he helped to start the Veterans Law Institute, which serves the veteran population in Tampa by reaching out to attorneys and other volunteers interested in helping veterans and their families. “My goal was to create a program where we can really become a local leader in veteran’s law with cases, outreach and advocacy,” Centonzio says.

While in law school, Centonzio worked at TVC as a David Isbell intern. “During my internship, I was able to connect with some excellent attorneys who had been working in veterans’ law for quite some time. It was an invaluable experience and a great learning opportunity,” he says. “My time at TVC allowed me to regain a sense of purpose that I’d lost when I left the military.”

Centonzio was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Kansas City, MO. He is fluent in Spanish and provides a critical service to TVC by taking most cases with Spanish speaking clients. Centonzio is particularly passionate about helping Puerto Rican veterans and their families, which fills a critical need at TVC. In the last year, TVC has seen an increase in cases from Puerto Rico, where many clients speak limited English. These cases can sometimes be difficult to place. There have also been cases with Spanish speaking clients that needed immediate placement, those that come at a later stage in the appeal or those that need a replacement attorney due to the language barrier. Centonzio takes these types of cases without hesitation.

“We have a real shortage of Spanish speaking lawyers to handle cases for Spanish speaking individuals who have appeals before the court,” says Judy Donegan, TVC’s Director of Litigation and Case Management. “Javier has proven to be critical to our mission and I believe will continue to be so. Being a veteran himself, he has a real passion for fellow veterans.”

It is because of his dedication to serving TVC’s Spanish speaking clients, willingness to take on cases that need immediate representation, and for achieving favorable outcomes in most of his cases, that Javier Centonzio has been named The Veterans Consortium’s Volunteer Inspiring Pro Bono (VIP) for October 2019.

We will also honor Javier on 6 November at our 2019 Pro Bono Mission Partner Reception with TVC’s Chairman’s Award for his tireless devotion and ongoing service to the veteran population.

“TVC should be commended for their important work serving veterans. I believe more attorneys should take these cases, especially those who can assist the Spanish speaking population,” Centonzio says. “TVC and all the attorneys who have taken cases, should be commended for what they do.”

Centonzio is the founder of Centonzio Law, PLLC in Florida, providing services for the local population and for veterans. He also volunteers his time with military-related programs and organizations like the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch and the Tragedy Assistance Program for survivors.

Pro Bono Week 2019 Pop-Up Legal Clinics

In honor of Pro Bono Week, TVC will be coordinating our fourth annual Legal Muster. The Legal Muster will be held on 25 October 2019 at three simultaneous pop-up legal clinics around our nation's capital.

During the legal clinics, volunteer attorneys will meet with veterans, conduct triage of their stated needs, offer limited legal information, and provide referral resources. Following the Legal Muster, TVC will place or facilitate referrals for veterans.

We want to thank the following volunteers for participating in this initiative: Rebeca Baan, Duane Morris Paul Belnap, Duane Morris Bill Bosch, Arnold & Porter Valerie Daye, Esq. Katherine DeStefano, Nelson Mullins Falen M. LaPonzina, ADVOCATE Heidi Lunasin, Duane Morris Schantell S. Comegys, Law Office of Schantell S. Comegys PLLC Chris Tyson, Duane Morris

TVC Visits American University Washington College of Law Students On Tuesday 8 October, TVC's Equal Justice Works Fellow

Samantha

Farish,

visited American

University's Washington College of Law (WCL).

WCL students signed a Pro Bono Honors Pledge to

commit themselves to a minimum of 75 hours of pro bono and community service projects during their time

in

the

program

for

low-income

and

underrepresented populations.

Samantha held an informal session to speak with a group of students about the pro bono volunteer opportunities available at TVC. Students learned about our weekly DC VA Medical Center Legal Advice and Referral Clinic, which is held in the Transition and Care Management Center at the VA. Volunteer attorneys and students offer veterans legal assistance and referrals for disability/benefits claims, discharge upgrades, employment law and more. Samantha also spoke about remote research pro bono opportunities for students.

It was a pleasure speaking with future attorneys about their options to serve our nation's defenders here at TVC!

2019 PRO BONO MISSION PARTNER RECEPTION SPONSORS CHAMPION

"Venue Sponsor"

HERO

FREEDOM

PATRIOT

GUARDIAN

HONOR GUARD

VETERAN'S DEFENDER

NOTABLE NEWS TVC Attorneys at the 2019 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair

TVC was invited to host a table at the 2019 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair on 18 October 2019.

Attorneys Courtney Smith and Samantha Farish both attended the event. They shared information about TVC internship opportunities and the various programs available here for students, interns and recent grads.

Samantha also participated in a panel discussion during a morning session called Mobilizing the Next Generation of Public Interest Lawyers: Equal Justice Works Postgraduate Fellowships 101. She served as an example of how to address unmet community needs, such as serving our veteran population on a pro bono basis. Samantha is currently an Equal Justice Works Fellow sponsored

by Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP.

TVC Discharge Upgrade Clinic at the Wilmington VA Medical Center

On 26 September, The Veterans Consortium hosted a discharge upgrade clinic at

the Wilmington VA Medical Center. Blank Rome and PEPCO/Excelon attorneys met with 23 grateful veterans. Attorneys met with veterans and provided invaluable assistance on discharge upgrade applications.

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 Click Here To Apply

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 Appellate Advocacy before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

*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

Friday 13 December 2019 DC Bar Pro Bono Center 901 4th Street NW Washington, DC 20001 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Register Here

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

CONNECT WITH US

Partner with us and sponsor a U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Appellate Advocacy training.

For more information contact: Volunteer Outreach & Education at volunteer@vetsprobono. org

Do you know a Veteran in crisis?

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