M-VETS currently operates out of offices at the Antonin Scalia Law School. The clinic is staffed by the Director and part-time Assistant Director, who oversees all clinic cases and directly supervises Student Advisors working on those matters. In addition to providing legal assistance to the military community, M-VETS’s clinical professors carry out a pedagogical mission to provide law students with hands-on, practice-oriented legal experience working with real clients and an opportunity to learn about, interact with, and give back to the military and veteran community.
To assist a more significant number of veterans and to expand its scope of services, M-VETS has partnered with American Legion Post 139 to provide free legal services in the newly renovated Post headquarters housed in the Lucille and Bruce Terwilliger Place, an affordable housing complex spearheaded by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing. The project will provide 160 affordable apartments, half reserved for veteran tenants, and a modern, 6,000-square-foot facility to house the new American Legion Post 139 headquarters. The American Legion has provided a dedicated M-VETS office in the new space and one general-purpose room, which can be reserved for M-VETS use.
To staff the new M-VETS outpost co-located in the American Legion’s new headquarters, M-VETS seeks funding to hire a full-time staff attorney licensed in Virginia dedicated to providing walk-in legal services, direct representation in Virginia civil matters (expungements, step-parent adoptions, simple wills and powers of attorneys, landlord-tenant matters) while also supervising law students in these practice areas.
Scope of Services Provided at M-VETS American Legion Outpost
M-VETS will staff a full-time Virginia-licensed attorney in the American Legion outpost. The staff attorney will represent veterans, service members, and their dependents directly. In addition, the staff attorney will hold regularly scheduled walk-in hours, during which military and veteran community members may seek free legal counsel and referrals to the M-VETS application or outside legal resources. Under the supervision of the staff attorney, M-VETS student advisors will assist during walk-in hours by performing intake duties, legal research, and observing the counseling sessions.
Anticipated Increase in Output with Addition of Staff Attorney
BLUF: The addition of a second full-time attorney can increase total clinic production by approximately 60%.
THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT
FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR + STAFF ATTORNEY
| Student Advisors | 77 | +50% |
| Clinic + Client Hours | 8,567.2 | +176% |
| Market Value Services | $1,106,415.00 | +135% |
Funding Required for Staff Attorney
Beginning with a base annual salary of $60,000 plus benefits, M-VETS estimates that the cost to fund a staff attorney for ten years is approximately $1,000,000. A capital campaign to fund this position is currently underway. If you would like to donate to this cause, you can donate here:
M-VETS relies on private donations and is grateful to the individuals, corporations, and foundations who have generously provided support to the clinic:
