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NVLSP Twelfth Annual Benefit “Fighting for Equity and Justice” Honors Three Outstanding Champions

NVLSP logoThe National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)’s “Fighting for Equity and Justice” Twelfth Annual Benefit, held on November 19, 2020, honored three outstanding champions who have made significant contributions to improving the lives of our veterans and their families.

“We greatly appreciate the generosity of our volunteers and donors whose support allows NVLSP to continue to advance its mission to help veterans and their families obtain the benefits they are rightfully eligible to receive,” said National Veterans Legal Services Program Executive Director Bart Stichman.

Kayla Williams, Senior Fellow and Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for A New American Security emceed the program.  Ms. Williams is also a former U.S. Army Sergeant, nationally recognized military and women veterans advocate and accomplished author.

Will Gunn, former General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and retired Air Force Colonel as well as NVLSP Board Member, served as keynote speaker.  Mr. Gunn was the first Chief Defense Counsel in the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions.  Mr. Gunn received his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he was president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, the nation’s oldest student run legal services organization.

The event highlighted NVLSP’s work to advance equity and justice for veterans and the work NVLSP has done to secure the benefits for three particular veterans. You can watch an overview video of NVLSP’s programs and work here.  Success stories about some of the veterans that were featured can be found in our digital impact report.

NVLSP recognized three honorees at the event for their dedicated service to veterans, service members and military families.

NVLSP presented the 2020 Lawyers Serving Warriors® (LSW) Excellence Award to Alexandra Magill Bromer a Partner at Perkins Coie LLP. The award honors a volunteer attorney who has provided exemplary pro bono services to veterans and service members. Since 2014, Ms. Bromer has skillfully handled LSW research projects and multiple types of pro bono cases, such as, Combat-Related Special Compensation, Discharge Upgrades, and Military Medical Retirement

NVLSP’s 2020 Pro Bono Partner of the Year Award was presented to Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP, a valued NVLSP partner for over a decade. Faegre Drinker Counsel Theodore M. Budd accepted the award on behalf of the firm. For over a decade, Faegre Drinker has been working with NVLSP and the firm’s volunteer attorneys have taken over 100 NVLSP cases. Over that time, Faegre Drinker has become one of NVLSP’s leading pro bono partners for cases involving wrongful separations for personality disorders, for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

NVLSP honored Merck & Co., Inc. (Kenilworth, NJ, USA) with its 2020 Corporate Leadership Award for its exemplary leadership among U.S. corporations on behalf of veterans, service members, and military families.  Barry McCoy, Vice President of Legal and NVLSP Board Member, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Through the company’s work with NVLSP, it has become one of our leading pro bono partners for Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) cases.  Medically retired veterans are eligible for an additional tax-free monthly benefit if their disabilities result from serving in combat. Receiving these disability benefits can be life-changing for veterans and their families. Since 2015, the company’s volunteer attorneys have assisted over 50 veterans with CRSC claims and military medical retirement applications.

Top sponsors for this year’s benefit included:

  • Diamond: Covington & Burling LLP; Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP; and WilmerHale
  • Platinum: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  • Gold: AIG; Hunton Andrews Kurth; Latham & Watkins LLP; Leonardo DRS; McGuireWoods; Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; Paul Hastings LLP; Pfizer; and The Sidley Austin Foundation
  • Silver: Faegre Drinker; GE; Microsoft; Perkins Coie; Raytheon Technologies; and Verizon
  • Bronze: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Comcast NBCUniversal; Crowell & Moring LLP; Dechert LLP; Exelon Corporation; Hewlett Packard Enterprise; HP Inc.; Intel Corporation; Katten; The Morrison & Foerster Foundation; Northrop Grumman; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Reed Smith LLP; The Steptoe Foundation; and Williams & Connolly LLP
  • Copper: Bank of America; Benjamin Block; Chapman and Cutler LLP; Cozen O’Connor; Hogan Lovells; K&L Gates LLP; Lockheed Martin; McDermott Will & Emery LLP; Nestle Waters North America; Oracle; PayPal; Amy Schuh; VMware; and White & Case LLP

About The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)

The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is an independent, nonprofit veterans service organization that has served active duty military personnel and veterans since 1981. NVLSP strives to ensure that our nation honors its commitment to its 22 million veterans and active duty personnel by ensuring they have the benefits they have earned through their service to our country. NVLSP has represented veterans in lawsuits that compelled enforcement of the law where the VA or other military services denied benefits to veterans in violation of the law. NVLSP’s success in these lawsuits has resulted in more than $5.2 billion dollars being awarded in disability, death and medical benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their survivors. NVLSP offers training for attorneys and other advocates; connects veterans and active duty personnel with pro bono legal help when seeking disability benefits; publishes the nation's definitive guide on veteran benefits; and represents and litigates for veterans and their families before the VA, military discharge review agencies and federal courts. For more information go to www.nvlsp.org.

Topics:
  • Veterans/Military
  • Special Events