Veterans Legal Support Clinic

Overview

In the Veterans Legal Support Clinic at KU Law, students have the opportunity to represent some of the 194,000 veterans living in Kansas. Students provide essential legal assistance to veterans facing obstacles that hinder their transition to and success in civilian life.

The clinic focuses on federal administrative law, with particular emphasis on discharge upgrades and appeals before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Students engage in substantive legal work, including legal research, drafting motions and advocacy materials, and developing case strategies. Emphasizing a client-centered approach, the clinic enables students to collaborate with service providers and advocacy organizations. Beyond direct representation, students can take on leadership and mentorship roles within the clinic, supporting team development, peer learning and day-to-day operations.

The course component is designed to cultivate core professional skills in legal advocacy, client communication and ethical practice while deepening students’ understanding of the complex legal challenges veterans face. Student input will help guide the clinic’s expansion into new areas, including partnerships with Veterans Treatment Courts, Clemency Board representation and advocacy under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).