Why You Should Visit GGU’s Free Legal Clinic

Golden Gate University School of Law provides legal students with several opportunities to work pro bono under a licensed attorney while gaining experience and helping others. These clinics focus on underserved and underrepresented populations. 

There are four clinics: the Women's Employment Rights Clinic, the Environmental Law & Justice Clinic, the Veterans Legal Advocacy Center and the Pro Bono Tax Clinic. 

GGU is the first law school in Northern California to have a veterans’ legal clinic on campus. The Veterans Legal Advocacy Center (VLAC) makes it a point to help those veterans who are in the most vulnerable populations. Clients are low-income veterans who live in the Bay Area who aren’t usually part of an existing network, like veterans who have recently returned or who are women, LGBTQ+, or elderly. 

The services provided by the legal clinic include some of the common obstacles they face. Things like compensation for service-related injuries, problems getting health care and discharge upgrades resulting in additional benefits.

For example, if a veteran has never filed a discharge upgrade request, the clinic can help. It can also help with applications for compensation for service-related injuries and appeals for both processes. 

Veterans of all branches are welcome at the legal clinic, where the services are provided at no cost to the veteran. GGU Law students who are certified by the State Bar of California’s Practical Training of Law Students Program staff the legal clinic. They are supervised by a licensed attorney, Daniel Devoy, who has experience in pro bono work for veterans and served in the U.S. Army. 

“Students can work with VLAC instead of another organization because we are located within the school itself,” Devoy said. “So it is very convenient and easy to access.”

To access the services provided by the legal clinic, contact the VLAC and schedule an intake interview -- where a student clinician will gather the relevant information about your issue and then suggest a course of action. 

Devoy said that during the academic year intake interviews are usually scheduled within two days of initial contact and that virtual appointments are available.

For more information on the legal clinic, visit their website. 

Trust GGU and their robust support for veterans, because their goal is to help you succeed.