The Bay Area counties account for the largest homeless veteran population in the nation. Berkeley Law will improve the current situation through our student advocacy and integration of our legal network to improve systemic community problems.
L.O.V.E.’s purpose is to provide support 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 elderly veterans seeking to obtain their earned benefits and by participating in monthly in-take clinics where our members work with local attorneys in assisting 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: 2-3 hours /week. More work is always allowed and can be assigned on a case-by-case basis.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at LOVE_SLP@berkeley.edu.