POSITIONS
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PRO BONO
General
VAP welcomes partnerships with law firms that would like to take on pro bono cases. There is a great need for family law services, representation in housing court, and assistance with military discharge upgrades. To learn more about volunteering with VAP please email us with “pro bono” in the subject line.
Discharge Upgrade Clinic
When servicemembers leave the military their discharge status determines what benefits, if any, they are eligible to receive. A bad discharge can be a barrier to employment, benefits, and health care. Worse, veterans with less than honorable discharges take their lives at two to three times the rate of other veterans. Many of our servicemembers are given less-than-honorable discharges due to misconduct connected to mis- or undiagnosed post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. From 2011-2015, of the servicemembers who were discharged for misconduct, 62 percent had already been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. With an Other Than Honorable discharge most vets will be turned away from the VA. We are not only punishing injury, we are cutting veterans off from the very care they need to heal.
VAP is fighting to get these veterans the resources they deserve. For firms who would like to take on cases, our hands-on approach includes a launch training, ongoing guidance, brief-editing, and we will coordinate moot hearings in preparation for any DRB appearances; we also have an online resource center with videos, sample applications, and more.
Firms and corporations from around the country have volunteered their time with DUC. See some of the firms that are giving and have given their time to VAP discharge cases.
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INTERNSHIPS
General Info
VAP accepts law students and undergraduate applicants who will receive credit for the internship or who have a public interest grant. If you would like to intern with VAP but do not have funding in place, we will support your application for a grant or scholarship; and if a student cannot secure a grant, we will ensure comparable financial support is available so that all students are able to engage in an internship. A good place to start is your school’s public interest/career office. You can also search this free national database that is updated daily (requires registration). For more information about our internships, please see the opportunities below:
Legal
The Veteran Advocacy Project provides legal representation to low-income veterans and their families, with a focus on those living with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, substance use disorders, and other mental health issues.
Our practice covers Housing Court, VA claims, public benefits, military discharge upgrades, and more. We are seeking 2Ls and 3Ls with excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, demonstrated proficiency in legal research, and the ability to communicate well with others, including those living with mental illness.
Internships for our civil practice are available throughout the year. VAP participates in the PILC Fair for summer internships and slots are usually filled by the first or second week of February. If you are not applying through PILC, please submit an application before February 1.
Interns will participate in outreach and client interviews, represent veterans in administrative hearings when possible, write legal memos/briefs, and assist in discharge upgrades applications or VA claims appeals. They will be provided with training and supervision, including guidance on providing legal services with a trauma-informed approach.
Please send a resume and cover letter to contact@veteranadvocacy.org with the subject: “[Fall/Spring/Summer YYYY] Internship.” Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Veteran Advocacy Project, Inc., is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, religion/creed, color, national origin, immigration status, gender or gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, military status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record, unemployment status, predisposing genetic characteristics, survivor of domestic/intimate partner violence status, or marital or partnership status.
Undergraduate
The Veteran Advocacy Project seeks interns to assist with legal services. Responsibilities range from direct client interaction to administrative work. The internship can be full- or part-time, and weekly hours are flexible. VAP will make every effort to support fellowship applications and other opportunities for funding so that income is not a barrier to an internship experience.
Responsibilities:
- Interact with clients: intake, follow up interviews, assistance with paperwork (forms, releases, etc.);
- Write letters to government agencies and clients;
- Obtain and copy court files;
- Provide thorough referrals to connect clients with other services;
- Perform administrative tasks, including: covering the intake phone line, entering client information into multiple databases, copying, faxing, etc.
Qualifications:
- Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills;
- Meticulous attention to detail;
- Communication skills, including the ability to maintain confidentiality and to work with people living with mental illness;
- Ability to work independently, to meet deadlines, and to be flexible.
Please send a resume and cover letter to contact@veteranadvocacy.org with the subject: Undergrad “[Fall/Spring/Summer YYYY] Internship.” Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Veteran Advocacy Project, Inc., is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, religion/creed, color, national origin, immigration status, gender or gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, military status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record, unemployment status, predisposing genetic characteristics, survivor of domestic/intimate partner violence status, or marital or partnership status.