Free Veterans Legal Clinic To Be Held in Petersburg in July
~ July 10th event at Petersburg Freedom Support Center to include free powers of attorney, wills, and advance medical directives for veterans, as well as benefits information sessions from DVS ~
PORTSMOUTH (June 15, 2018) – Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced today at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Virginia Annual State Convention that the next pro bono Veterans Legal Services Clinic will take place July 10 in Petersburg at the Petersburg Freedom Support Center, located at 32 West Washington Street, Petersburg, Virginia 23803.
During the daylong event, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and the Virginia State Bar (VSB), volunteer attorneys from Attorney General Herring’s office and the VSB will serve low-income veterans by drafting important estate planning documents like wills, powers of attorney and advance medical directives. Representatives from DVS will also be present to answer questions regarding state and federal benefits that may be available to Virginia veterans including health benefits, disability benefits, financial services, education benefits, burial in a Virginia or United States veterans cemetery, and more.
Qualified veterans can sign up on Attorney General Herring’s website at their local DVS Benefits Services Field Office, or by completing and mailing an application to the Attorney General’s office.
“The legal services these clinics provide are very important, but they can often be too expensive for a veteran who may be retired or on a fixed income,” said Attorney General Herring. “I have had the opportunity to visit clinics that we have held across the Commonwealth where we have been able to serve more than 185 veterans and their spouses. It has been so rewarding to witness the peace of mind we have provided these men and women who have given so much to Virginia and our country. This has been a rewarding partnership with the Department of Veterans Services and the State Bar, and I look forward to growing the program even more in the months and years ahead.”
Attorney General Herring, DVS, and VSB have held eight pro bono Veterans Legal Services Clinics, serving more than 185 veterans and their spouses in Hampton Roads, Roanoke, Richmond, Lynchburg, Annandale, and Petersburg.
Clinics provide qualified veterans and their spouses with simple wills, powers of attorneys, and advance medical directives, including notary services, during the one hour time slots which will be filled on a “first-come, first-served basis.” In order to be eligible for services, veterans and their spouses must fill out an intake questionnaire on Attorney General Herring’s website or at their local Virginia Department of Veterans Services Benefits Center. Because participants must collect information and make significant decisions prior to the clinic, walkups cannot be accepted.
Additional details including qualifications and sign up links can be found here: https://oag.state.va.us/programs-initiatives/veterans-assistance-resources.