<p><em>School is national leader in veterans law; home to Veterans Law Clinic</em> <br /><br />Widener Law will showcase its position as one of the country&rsquo;s leading law schools offering services to veterans when the school presents a continuing legal education program Nov. 30 aimed at enhancing the skills of attorneys who represent veterans.<br /><br />The Veterans Law continuing legal education conference will be held on the Delaware campus from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Ruby R. Vale Moot Courtroom. Registration and continental breakfast run from 8 to 8:30 a.m.<br /><br />The day includes a battery of speakers from legal practitioners to academics on topics ranging from an overview of the VA claim process to ethical concerns that come from working in the VA system. Those presenting include Douglas J. Rosinski, of counsel to Ogletree Deakins in Columbia, S.C. and an adjunct professor and director of the Veterans Clinic at the University of South Carolina School of Law; and Richard R. James, Esq., of Richmond, Va., a nationally known authority on veterans law.<br /><br />Widener University was the first law school in the United States to start a clinical program for disabled veterans. First known as the Veterans Assistance Program, the school began its work in 1997 by co-sponsoring a program with the pro bono arm of the Delaware State Bar Association, to assist disabled veterans and their dependants with VA compensation claim appeals to the Board of Veterans Appeals. The program became known as the&nbsp;Veterans Law Clinic in January 2006 although student interns &ndash; working as attorneys on behalf of indigent veteran clients &ndash; have been a part of the program since its start. The law school recently expanded the clinic services with the help of grants from the Pennsylvania Legislature and the Delaware State Veterans Commission. <br /><br />&ldquo;There is no more fulfilling or patriotic civic service I can think of as an attorney than representing the interests of veterans who simply want the benefits to which they are entitled,&rdquo; said Widener Law Professor Thomas J. Reed, director of the law school clinic and a key organizer of the conference. &ldquo;This program will allow Widener to share its knowledge of veterans law and wealth of contacts on the subject with people who want to learn more about the veterans claim process.&rdquo;<br /><br />For practicing attorneys in Delaware and Pennsylvania, attendance at the program offers 6.5 continuing legal education credits, including one ethics credit. The registration cost for attorneys attending for credit is $250 and includes lunch, or $200 for Widener Law alumni attorneys. The event is free for students and members of the general public, but does not include lunch. The school cafeteria will be open. For more information or to register, contact Constance Sweeney, coordinator for special programs, at 302-477-2177 or e-mail cmsweeney@widener.edu.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p>