As one of the first such clinics in the country, The John Marshall Legal Support Center & Clinic is dedicated solely to addressing the legal needs of veterans seeking  benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Hundreds of thousands of veterans have returned home from the battlefield with serious and life-altering injuries.  However, many of these wounded warriors are not receiving the full benefits to which they are entitled.  Many veterans, both young and old, are not receiving the full benefits to which they are entitled because they lack the necessary information and understanding to navigate the complexities of the VA claims and appeals process.

Several organizations and published studies have highlighted veterans' lack of access to competent legal representation.  This inability to acquire legal help has egregious consequences:  Veterans are not receiving the legal aid that often makes the difference in whether or not they will receive their full benefits in an efficient manner.

The VLSC assists veterans by investigating and researching their VA benefit claims.  The clinic refers qualified veterans to private legal counsel through our statewide network of Pro Bono attorneys.  These attorneys are dedicated individuals who have donated their time to assisting veterans with their claims.

Put simply, the Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic is dedicated to serving the men and women who have served our nation.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (fifth from left) welcomed representatives of the Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic (VLSC) at The John Marshall Law School to a press conference introducing the newest Veterans Cash lottery ticket from the Illinois Lottery. VLSC representatives included (from left) Elizabeth Geisler and Courtney Slovin, clinical students; Mary Gordon, VLSC office manager/conference coordinator; Julie Yriart, VLSC associate; Assistant Professor Joseph Butler, co-executive director of VLSC; Sven Sommer, a member of the VLSC’s pro bono network of attorneys; Sean Ryan, a clinical student; Blake Jackson, a member of the VLSC’s pro bono network of attorneys; and clinical student Kurt Dittmer.

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Adjunct Professor Brian Clauss (left) and Visiting Professor Joseph Butler (second from left), co-executive directors of the Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic at John Marshall look on as Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signs into law the Military Veterans Court Act. The act gives the chief judge of a judicial circuit the discretion to establish a military and veterans court program for veterans and active duty service members with substance abuse problem facing a criminal proceeding.

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On March 13, 2009, two representatives of the Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic were in Washington to support the nomination of L. Tammy Duckworth to serve as assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs before the U.S. Senate's Veterans Affairs Committee.

Joseph Butler and Brian Clauss,as well as the VLSC's efforts, were recognized by Duckworth when she introduced them as close friends with whom she worked as former director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs in establishing the VLSC.

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