Department of Veterans Affairs Proposal to Test Attorneys Could Reduce Number of Lawyers Willing to Take Veteran Cases
Legal Services E-lert
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Veterans advocates, law firms, and the organized bar have forced the Department of Veterans Affairs to reconsider a proposed rule requiring lawyers who represent military veterans to pass a test. With a shortage of low-cost legal representation for veterans, opponents of the rule worry that it would reduce the number of lawyers willing to provide pro bono services to veterans.
Proposed Rule Could Halt Vets’ Legal Aid
… The Department of Veterans Affairs is fine-tuning a rule intended to ensure veterans get skilled help to tackle the complicated process of claiming VA benefits. However, the rule might actually chase away attorneys who accept such cases for free unless the language is changed, advocates say. “It makes no practical sense to make it harder for veterans to get a free lawyer,” said Ron Abrams, joint executive director for the National Veterans Legal Services Program....