McGuireWoods, in partnership with the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) and a firm client, hosted a June 16-17 virtual legal clinic to provide pro bono assistance to U.S. service members.
The clinic was open to all branches of the military, with U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Army Green Berets and members of the Marine Corps among those who sought help.
McGuireWoods, the client and the NVLSP provided pro bono legal assistance to 16 active-duty, special warfare operators, many of them seeking assistance with retirement and disability benefits related to their service-related injuries.
Fifteen McGuireWoods lawyers from San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Norfolk and Charlottesville, Virginia, participated in the clinic, along with nine of the client’s in-house lawyers in San Francisco and several NVLSP members. San Francisco office managing partner Dave Powell and partner and D.C. pro bono co-leader John Thompson, chair of McGuireWoods’ Veteran Lawyers Network, led the firm’s effort to organize the clinic.
“Arranging a virtual clinic in multiple cities is no small feat,” Powell said. “The feedback we heard from our client and the NVLSP was extremely positive. We are grateful they worked with us to make this program a success for our service members.”