Veterans Legal Clinic
Serving Those Who Served.
Our Mission Heading link
Our Mission
The Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC) is dedicated to training law students to become zealous advocates for veterans and their families. The VLC assists veterans who have been improperly denied benefits by the Veterans Benefits Administration or need a military discharge upgrade.
Client Services Heading link
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free services to veterans, regardless of discharge status, and family members who reside in Illinois. The VLC specializes in appealing denied veteran’s benefits claims, including service-connected benefits, pension benefits, survivor benefits, and education benefits.
VLC prioritizes veterans who are low-income and are in need of VA healthcare services. The Clinic will not begin work on an initial claim that has not been filed or is currently pending before the Department of Veterans Affairs. To receive assistance in filing an initial claim for benefits please contact a veterans’ service organization.
Review our clinic services below. To become a client, please contact the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network at 855-452-3526.
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VA Benefit Appeals
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free assistance with appeals of improperly denied VA benefit claims at the VA Regional Office, the Board of Veterans Appeals, and the Court of Appeals For Veterans Claims. If you have been denied a disability or pension benefit, contact the Clinic. If available, please have a copy of your most recent VA Rating Decision or correspondence for review.
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Criminal Court Treatment & Diversion Programs
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free assistance to veterans in criminal court treatment or diversion programs with the non-criminal legal issues that often accompany arrest or conviction. If you are a veteran with a pending case a veterans treatment court or diversion program, you or your attorney can contact the Clinic.
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Discharge Upgrades
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free assistance to veterans in appealing the characterization of their discharge to the Discharge Review Board or the Board of Corrections of Military Records. If you are a veteran seeking to appeal your discharge characterization, you can contact the Clinic. If possible, please have a copy of your DD-214 for review.
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Veterans Treatment Court
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free assistance to veterans who received petty offense tickets on federal property in the Northern District of Illinois. The Veterans Legal Clinic works in the Veterans Treatment Court diversion program with the non-criminal legal issues that accompany justice involved veterans.
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Other Legal Assistance
If there are legal issues outside the scope of the Veterans Legal Clinic’s mission, please call the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network at (855) 452-3526.
VLC In Action View Legal Briefs & Publications
Students & Veterans at UIC Law Heading link
If you are a veteran contemplating a career in the law or a student wishing to participate in the Veterans Clinic, feel free to contact the Veterans Clinic. The Veterans Clinic staff is happy to supplement our Admissions Office and is always ready to talk with veterans, provide a tour of the school, and invite them to spend some time talking with law students who are veterans. The Veterans Clinic works closely with the Law School’s chapter of Student Veterans of America, which offers space for the exclusive use of student veterans.
About Us Heading link
In 2006, three Law School degree candidates recognized that veterans were having trouble navigating the Veterans Benefits Administration claims process. In an effort to provide legal assistance to such veterans, they created the Veterans Legal Clinic. The Clinic works on all aspects of Veteran Benefits Administration claims, from the initial, factual intake to the technical representation of claims at the appellate level. In the years since opening, the Clinic has expanded to become involved in court programs for veterans at the federal level. The Clinic has also assisted veterans who would like to pursue a discharge upgrade in order to obtain veterans benefits.
Contact us via email at Law-vlsc@uic.edu or by phone at 312-360-2656 .
