Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic
The Veterans and Servicemembers Clinic, directed by Professor Judy Clausen, provides supervised students the opportunity to represent clients in their claims and appeals for veterans’ benefits before the: U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Veterans Court), Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office. Supervised students also represent clients in their petitions to the military services to upgrade their adverse discharges. Students research, prepare, and deliver Know Your Rights presentations to local military personnel and veterans. Supervised students research and draft amicus briefs before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Students impact policy when they draft formal comments published online to proposed Congressional legislation and proposed VA regulations concerning veterans and servicemembers and draft formal petitions for VA rulemaking.
Director
Student Experience
In this client work, students: (1) interview clients, (2) collaborate with clients and lay witnesses to prepare lay evidence, (3) collaborate with medical experts to prepare medical evidence, (4) review, analyze, and cite the appellate record containing thousands of pages of service records, treatment records, and VA claims records, (5) research and draft briefs before the Veterans Court, Board of Veterans’ Appeals, VA Regional Office, Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States, (6) negotiate on behalf of clients in the Veterans Court, (7) represent veterans in VA hearings, and (8) research and draft white papers for Navy judge advocates.
“My time at the Veterans Clinic was life-changing. I gained hands-on experience reviewing military and medical records, drafting briefs, filing claims, and handling appeals, but more importantly, I found my passion for serving those who’ve served our country. One of the most memorable moments was helping a homeless veteran win an appeal that allowed him to finally receive his benefits and buy a home. That experience inspired me to become an Equal Justice Works Fellow, extern at Bay Area Legal Services, and eventually join the team full-time. Now, as Lead Staff Attorney at the Major General Ernest A. and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center, I continue that work every day, helping veterans across Florida through cases like saving an elderly vet’s home or helping another go from 10% to 100% disability after seven tours and 17 service-connected conditions. The Clinic gave me the foundation to do work that truly matters. The Clinic didn’t just prepare me to be an attorney; it empowered me to be an advocate.”
— Maria Ceballos-Zagales (JD 20), Bay Area Legal Services
“My time at the Veterans Clinic was transformative, both professionally and personally. Through direct advocacy, close mentorship, and meaningful responsibility, I developed not only my legal skills but also a deeper commitment to serving those who have served our country. That experience helped shape the attorney and future JAG officer I am becoming. I am sincerely grateful to the staff and faculty at UF Law for their mentorship, trust, and dedication to student success.”
— Rodrigo Braga (LL.M. 25), U.S. Army JAG Corps
“I come from a proud military family with generations of service. It was an honor to work with the UF Law Veterans Clinic and provide legal resources to servicemembers, veterans, and military families.”
— Arianna Meekins (JD 25)
“I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous semester that we shared together. My time with your clinic was the best of my law school career, and the practical knowledge and experience I have gained will continue to reward me as I step out of the law school bubble and into the heart of litigation.”
— Matthew Pearl (JD 24)
Clinical students have graduated to become judge advocates, clerks for federal and state judges, legal aid attorneys representing veterans, federal and state government attorneys handling issues involving servicemembers and veterans, and lawyers in private practice who represent veterans and servicemembers on a pro bono basis.
Community Impact
Total Recovery of Benefits:
$3 million
in retroactive benefits
$12 million
in prospective benefits
94%
CAVC Appeal Win Rate
Students’ work before the Veterans Court resulted in recovery of $242,222.43 for reimbursement of attorneys’ fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act for illustrating that the government erred. The Veterans Clinic uses these fees to cover client expenses such as expenses incurred in obtaining medical expert reports.
Client Testimonials:
Awards
The Veterans Clinic and its students have been awarded the following honors:
- National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium Student Service Award for 2025 (awarded to three UF students)
- The TVC Legal Scholars Award for 2024
- National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium Student Service Award for 2024 (awarded to two UF students)
- ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award presented by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel for 2020.
Scholarship
UF Law Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic Director, Judy Clausen publishes scholarship concerning Health Law and Veterans Law. Here are some of her articles:
- Law School Veterans Clinics: Helping Veterans, Training Students, Improving the System,21 U. St. Thomas L.J. 145 (2025) with Jennifer Morrell, Alexander Scherr, Hillary A. Wandler, and Morgan Zimarakos. [SSRN]
- Alternatives to the Squad Car: A Strategy Providing Hope for People with Mental Illness, 93 MISS. L. J. 719 (2024) with Joanmarie Davoli. [SSRN]
- Dazed & Confused… and … Psychotic?, 34 HEALTH MATRIX: J. L. & MED. 1 (2024) with Joanmarie Davoli and Dr. Benjamin Lacy. [SSRN]
- No One Receives Psychiatric Care in a Squad Car, 54 TEX. TECH L. REV. 645 (2022) with Joanmarie Davoli. [SSRN]
- Top Ten Practice Tips for Discharge Upgrades, 9 STETSON J. ADVOC. & L. 160 (2022) with Colleen Miller and Danica Gonzalves. [Link]
- Regulate Physician Restrictive Covenants to Improve Healthcare, 108 KY. L. J. 111 (2019). [SSRN]
- An Americans with Disabilities Act Critique of Advance Directive Override Provisions, 71 N.Y.U. ANN. SUR. AM. L. 25 (2015). [SSRN]
- Bring Ulysses to Florida: Proposed Legislative Relief for Mental Health Patients, 16 MARQ. ELDER’S ADVISOR 1 (2014). [SSRN]
- Making the Case for a Model Mental Health Advance Directive Statute, 14 YALE J. HEALTH POL., L., & ETHICS 1 (2014) (peer-reviewed journal). [SSRN]
- “Your Honor, May I Have That in Writing?” – A Proposed Response to Violations of the Federal Sentencing Written Reasons Requirement, 42 U. TOL. L. REV. 705 (2011). [SSRN]
- Personal Jurisdiction Based on Internet Activities: Oldfield v. Pueblo De Bahia Lora, S.A. – The Eleventh Circuit Finally Discusses Zippo but Leaves Lower Courts Needing More Guidance, 11 FLA. COASTAL L. REV. 53 (2009). [SSRN]
- Beware – Florida’s Long Arms Can Reach Through Cyberspace and Grab Unsuspecting Professionals: Personal Jurisdiction in Professional Malpractices Cases, 10 FLA. COASTAL L. REV. 505 (2009).
UF Law Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic Director, Judy Clausen testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity about how the work of the nation’s law school veterans clinics addresses upstream risks of veteran suicide.
The UF Law Veterans Clinic is active in the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium, especially its Advocacy Committee and Amicus Committee. Moreover, the UF Law Veterans Clinic students actively participate every semester in the Advocacy Committee and Amicus Committee.
Amicus briefs to the Supreme Court of the United States:
- Julien P. Champagne v. Douglas A. Collins [Link]
- Victor B. Skaar v. Denis McDonough [Link]
- David A Hamill v. Denis McDonough
- Joshua E Bufkin and Norman F Thornton v. Denis McDonough [Link]
- Louis Frantzis v. Denis McDonough [Link]
Amicus briefs to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit:
- Julien P. Champagne v. Douglas A. Collins
Policy Work
- Petition for VA Rulemaking to Reform Form 4597B and Clear and Unmistakable Error Review Process
Membership
UF Law Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic Director, Judy Clausen previously served as Co-chair of the Advocacy Committee for multiple years, on the Board of Directors and as President of the Board of Directors of the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium.
Students research and draft guidance in an online manual concerning legal issues confronted by servicemembers and veterans in the Middle District of Florida through participation in the Middle District of Florida Working Group for Veterans, Servicemembers, and Survivors.
Referrals
The UF Law Veterans Clinic obtains most of its cases from The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program and from Florida Legal Services.
Need Assistance?
Find a VA accredited representative or VSO: Find A VA Accredited Representative Or VSO | Veterans Affairs
Contact
Judy Clausen
Director
jclausen@law.ufl.edu
Learn more about Professor Clausen