Ex. Veterans' Rights

This externship introduces students to the challenges faced by military veterans in accessing federal
benefits. New York is home to more than 800,000 veterans and recent studies have found that New York
veterans have a lower income than the national average despite numerous financial benefit programs
specific to this population. Less than 17% of New York veterans and only 15.5% of New York City
veterans receive VA disability benefits, significantly lower than the national average of 23-24%. The
New York Legal Assistance Group’s Veterans Practice has focused its efforts on addressing two
potential causes of this disparity, eligibility issues related to discharge status and lack of representation
in the disability claims process. Course content and fieldwork will train students to effectively and
compassionately advocate for veteran clients as they navigate the discharge upgrade and VA disability
benefit processes.