<img src="/site/files/oldnewsfiles/VeteransLawClinic235px.jpg" class="FloatRight" width="235" height="200" alt="VeteransLawClinic235px">Widener University School of Law and its <a href="/Academics/ClinicalProgramsandProfessionalTraining/Clinics/VeteransLawClinic.aspx">Veterans Law Clinic</a> are being honored with a 2014 Delaware Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award for community service. It marks the second consecutive year a Widener Law program has been recognized. The school’s <a href="/Academics/ClinicalProgramsandProfessionalTraining/PublicInterestOpportunities/WillsForHeroes.aspx">Wills For Heroes</a> program was honored in 2013, also for community service.<br><br>The awards program, facilitated by the Delaware Office of Volunteerism,  honors adult individuals, groups, organizations or businesses who engage in volunteer activities that address community needs within the First State.<br><br>“The Veterans Law Clinic provides a tremendous service to our veterans and we are grateful for the recognition this honor brings,” said Interim Dean <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/DalyErin.aspx">Erin Daly</a>. “This program is unique because it is an opportunity for our students to provide actual legal representation while they are enrolled in law school. It builds their professional skills within a framework that supports the Widener mission of service learning through civic engagement.” <br><br>The Outstanding Volunteer Award program is sponsored by the Office of Gov. Jack Markell, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of State Service Centers, the state Office of Volunteerism and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. The honor will be formally given at a dinner next month in Dover.<br><br>“We thank the state of Delaware and Gov. Jack Markell for this award. It is an honor just to provide these services to veterans every day. We are humbled by the recognition and accept it with appreciation,” said Susan Saidel, the clinic director.<br><br>The Veterans Law Clinic, based at Widener Law Delaware, provides free legal aid to disabled veterans and their dependents with claims pending before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The clinic specializes in representing veterans’ cases on appeal from VA regional offices located throughout the United States to the Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The clinic also assists veterans with other matters related to veterans law, including VA pension cases, VA overpayment cases and discharge upgrades, as well as legal issues that are impediments to financial security, such as expungement of certain criminal charges, collection of medical bills and obtaining Social Security.<br><br>The clinic does not charge veterans for its services, nor does it keep any portion of financial awards it wins for its clients. It also covers the costs of independent medical exams when they are needed for clients’ cases. In the 2013-14 academic year, the clinic provided representation to 302 clients. <br><br>In its 17 years, the clinic has recovered more than $6 million for its clients, with half of that coming in the last four years. The process is lengthy and cases take years to resolve. Currently 56 percent of clients are Delaware residents. Other clients hail from Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Maryland.  <br><br>Cases are handled by approximately ten to 20 students each semester, who receive no monetary compensation, and approximately 80 attorneys from the community who serve in a pro bono capacity. Students spend up to 20 hours per week in the clinic, including office hours where they assist with completing intakes for new clients and other administrative tasks.<br><br>In addition, in the 2013-14 academic year, the clinic began providing social work assistance to clients, through two unpaid student interns working toward their Master of Social Work degrees from the Widener University main campus. They provide crisis, family and individual counseling and assist with referrals for mental health care, child care, food pantry services, substance abuse help, shelter and more.