Veterans Advocacy Project

The Veterans Advocacy Project (VAP) at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law pairs individual veterans with teams of Colorado attorneys and Denver Law students. These teams work primarily on VA disability benefit compensation cases at the regional level and up to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in Washington D.C., and on discharge upgrade cases. Students earn six credits which include case work and a seminar focusing on issues related to handling these types of cases.

“These can be truly life-changing decisions for a veteran, and it is hard for veterans to find no-cost legal services in these areas, so it is an incredible opportunity to put a legal education into meaningful work. I entered into law in order to provide legal services to underserved populations and the Veterans Advocacy Project provided a very hands-on way to learn these skills in serving an incredibly deserving population.”
Alice Hansen 3L, VAP student attorney

Apply for Services

The Veterans Advocacy Project’s services are limited to VA Disability Compensation cases and Discharge Upgrade claims. This application is necessary to be considered for services or scheduled for an appointment. Due to the volume of requests we receive, we will contact you if we need further information and think we may be able to assist you with your legal issues. Please be as specific as possible when answering these questions, as it will greatly assist in our efforts to serve you. While we wish to serve all Veterans, we must preference Veterans from Colorado.

Apply

News

In the News

Breach of Honor
5280 Magazine, August 2017

Veterans who leave the military with other-than-honorable discharges often are denied health care and other Veterans Affairs benefits. Yet many suffer from conditions—such as post-traumatic stress disorder—that could have contributed to the behaviors that got them kicked out in the first place. The University of Denver’s Veterans Advocacy Project wants to help.

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University of Denver Law Clinic Recovers More Than $7.2 Million for Colorado Veterans
Volunteers of America, September 2018

In a small office on the second floor, a dedicated tranquility can be found – in the home of a life-changing law clinic that has been operating through the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law for the last three years.

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An Honorable Charge
Denver Law Alumni Magazine, Spring 2017

As the sister of a Navy pilot, Maggie Toth, JD’17, long has been sensitive to challenges facing America’s military veterans, whether those challenges involve securing benefits or receiving timely medical care.

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