Thanks to the initiative last year of four students at The John Marshall Law School, the institution has established the first U.S. law school clinic dedicated to veterans' issues.

The idea was presented by third-year student Michael Abramson, then president of the JMLS Student Bar Association, to the Military Law Students Society.

The goal was “to educate, facilitate and advocate on behalf of veterans in order to ensure the accurate and timely filing of medical and education benefit claims.”

Abramson, who graduated this year, was soon joined by classmate Ryan Coward and two second-year students, Nicholas Henry and Michael Barnicle.

Henry, who had completed two tours of Marine Corps duty in Iraq before law school, was well aware of the need to expedite the process of obtaining benefits deserved by veterans, especially those who are disabled.

Part of the problem was a federal mandate, dating back to the Civil War, that attorneys representing veterans in claim appeals could be paid only $10 to $100 per case.

That antiquated restriction was scrapped on July 1, when legislation set a contingency fee of up to 20 percent for attorney representation in the appellate stages of claims.

At that moment, doors were opened for the bench, bar and academia to get involved jointly in training lawyers in dealing with a complex administrative process that includes gathering and preparing the required documentation.

Enter the Illinois Supreme Court, its Commission on Professionalism, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, expressing support for John Marshall's fledgling Veterans Legal Support Center.

Leaders of these organizations participated in an announcement on Sept. 5 at the law school. Among them were ISBA President Joseph G. Bisceglia and 4th Circuit Judge Ronald D. Spears, chair of the Committee on Military Affairs since it was formed after Sept. 11, 2001.

Law School Dean John E. Corkery forged the link with other legal organizations through his membership on the Commission on Professionalism and the ISBA Committee on Professional Conduct

Included in the announcement was news that a John Marshall graduate, Chicago mediator Brian E. Clauss, would be executive director and Ryan Howard, the interim director who graduated this year, would stay on.

“This great group of students identified a problem and figured out a way to solve it,” Clauss said. “They figured out a plan of attack, went to the right people, organized it and are getting it off the ground.”

Tammy Duckworth, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, presented a grant of $100,000 to John Marshall during the Sept. 5 program.

The money comes from an accumulation of $3 million last year from 100 percent of proceeds from the Veterans Cash scratch-off lottery ticket program launched in February 2006.

Another $3 million is anticipated this year for the Veterans' Assistance Trust Fund. Veterans Cash tickets are sold at all lottery retail locations at a cost of $2. The top prize is $20,000.

Grants are available to not-for-profit organizations that help provide services to Illinois veterans, including health care, post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, disability benefits and housing assistance.

For information about applying for a grant, access the Web site www.state.il.us/agency/dva, Duckworth said.

The grant to John Marshall will help the Veterans Legal Support Center conduct “Train-the-Trainers” courses for volunteer lawyers who agree to train others and support veterans on a pro bono basis.

Judge Spears said the ISBA would be a “force multiplier” in the effort to recruit, train and deploy volunteers in the most effective way to help veterans throughout the state obtain disability benefits.

Since its inception, the Committee on Military Affairs has enabled military personnel on active duty, and their families, to receive volunteer legal assistance.

Several hundred ISBA members have signed up to provide pro bono or low-fee representation. They are matched with guard and reserve personnel in relation to the areas of legal help they need and the location of their residences.

Now that the government has permitted lawyers to represent veterans in appeals of claims, more ISBA members with expertise in this process will be sought. The committee will coordinate training sessions in Central and Southern Illinois.