The Bay Area accounts for the largest homeless veteran population in the Nation. L.O.V.E.’s purpose is to provide student advocacy for veterans to overcome legal obstacles. This objective covers a wide variety of legal areas governed by several different entities, namely the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and state and local agencies.
We have a working relationship with Swords to Plowshares, a Bay Area-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting all veterans. L.O.V.E. has worked with Swords in assisting veterans seeking to obtain their earned benefits and by participating in monthly in-take clinics where our members work with local attorneys to assist veterans who are applying for discharge upgrades. This includes the veteran’s character of service (e.g., honorable, bad conduct, dishonorable) and the “narrative reason for separation.” Among the many possible “narrative reasons for separation” are “misconduct,” “disability,” “personality disorder,” and “homosexual conduct.”
L.O.V.E. will also provide legal research support for the Veterans Law Practicum and their efforts to advocate for veterans who have been deported after their period of service.
Supervision: Students will receive training from and be under the supervision of attorneys at Swords to Plowshares.
Time Commitment: Approximately 5 hours/monthly clinic, after completing 2 hours of mandatory training before the first clinic, & a 1 hour lunch meeting towards the end of the semester.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at LOVE_SLP@berkeley.edu.