Veteran Access to Justice Symposium (2016)
The Veteran Access to Justice Symposium focused on “what we know and need to know”
about veteran access to justice. Speakers analyzed the available data about three
types of legal service initiatives — medical-legal partnerships, veteran treatments
courts, and veteran legal clinics — and discussed strategies for promoting research
and data collection going forward.
Friday, December 9
8:30–8:40 a.m. — Welcome
- Elizabeth Chambliss, Professor of Law and Director, NMRS Center on Professionalism University of South
Carolina School of Law
- Robert M. Wilcox, Dean, University of South Carolina School of Law
8:40–8:50 a.m. — Opening Remarks
9:00–9:50 a.m. — What We Know and Need to Know About Medical-Legal Partnerships
- Margaret Middleton, Executive Director, Connecticut Veterans Legal Center and Jack Tsai, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Yale Division of Mental Health Services
and Treatment Outcomes Research
- Stacey-Rae Simcox, Associate Professor of Legal Skills and Director, Veterans Advocacy Clinic, Stetson
University College of Law and Isis V. Marrero, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida
- Moderator: Sean Clark, Veterans Justice Outreach Program, Department of Veterans Affairs
- View the Video
10:00–10:50 a.m. — What We Know and Need to Know About Veterans Treatment Courts
- Bessie Flatley, Program Analyst, Veterans Justice Programs, Department of Veterans Affairs
- Suzanne Strong, Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Andrew Culbreath, Deputy Solicitor, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Greenville SC
- Mary Vosburgh, Staff Attorney, One80 Place Homeless Justice Project, Charleston SC
- Moderator: Silas V. Darden, Director, Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, Department of Justice
- View the Video
11:00–11:40 p.m. — Keynote Address
- Leigh A. Bradley, General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs
- View the Video
Symposium Luncheon
1:00–1:50 p.m. — What We Know and Need to Know About Veterans Legal Clinics
- Patricia Roberts, Director of Clinical Programs and Director, Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits,
William & Mary Law School
- Daniel Nagin, Vice Dean for Experiential and Clinical Education and Faculty Director,
WilmerHale Legal Services Center & Veterans Legal Clinic, Harvard Law School
- Norah Cooney Rogers, Pro Bono Coordinator, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and
Ashley Thomas, Staff Attorney, SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
- Moderator: Emily Suski, Assistant Professor of Law, University of South Carolina School of Law
- View the Video
2:00–3:15 p.m. — Leveraging National Data Collection
- Jessica Blue-Howells, Veterans Justice Outreach Program, Department of Veteran Affairs
- Jennifer L. Truman, Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice
- Nan Heald, Executive Director, Pine Tree Legal Assistance
- James J. Sandman, President, Legal Services Corporation
- Moderator: Rebecca L. Sandefur, Associate Professor of Sociology and Law, University of Illinois, and Faculty Fellow,
American Bar Foundation
- View the Video
3:20–3:30 p.m. — Closing Remarks
- Karen A. Lash, Deputy Director, Office for Access to Justice, Department of Justice