This past summer, the Clinic assisted U.S. Navy and Vietnam veteran Lou Berrio with his leukemia-related Agent Orange VA claim. Through the financial donations made by the Clinic’s previous clients, the Clinic was able to help Berrio obtain an expert medical opinion and guide him and his daughter through the steps of filing the claim. Berrio’s story is made particularly urgent because of his need for a stem cell donor—a treatment option that could save his life.
Second and third-year law students enrolled in the Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic at Penn State Law in University Park honed their advocacy skills while assisting five Vietnam veterans and their families, and two other veterans, to win disability and/or survivor claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Penn State students at all campuses who are interested in pursuing a law degree are eligible for several opportunities through Penn State Law on the University Park campus.
Over the past two academic years, juris doctor (J.D.) and master of laws (LL.M.) students at Penn State Law in University Park have assisted 30 veterans and their families in resolving legal matters connected to their military service. These students’ work was carried out through the Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic, one of 11 clinics operated by Penn State Law in University Park.
The Penn State Law in University Park Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic hosted the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Military and Veterans Affairs Committee on Friday, March 31, 2023, as one of the Committee's "meeting field trips."
The Penn State Law Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic and the Centre County Bar hosted a Wills for Heroes event on Saturday, November 5, with assistance from the Pennsylvania (PA) Bar Association’s Pro Bono Coordinator.