Sep. 26, 2025
Bringing Free Legal Help to Southeast Missouri’s Veterans This October
This October, the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is heading to Cape Girardeau, Missouri for a three-day outreach event aimed at serving veterans across the region. The Clinic is committed to reaching every corner of the state with high-quality legal assistance, and Cape Girardeau is the next stop. Over the course of three days the Clinic will Offer a free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program for attorneys interested in learning more about veterans’ law, provide free legal consultations for homeless veterans, focusing on helping them access the benefits they have earned and secure greater stability, and provide free legal consultations for…
Sep. 26, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Awarded VA Grant Again to Combat Veteran Homelessness
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has once again selected the Clinic to receive a grant supporting its work on behalf of veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. This marks the third time the Clinic has been chosen for this funding—reflecting the VA’s continued confidence in the Clinic’s record of results and its steadfast commitment to veterans. Since the launch of the program, the Clinic has expanded its services specifically for homeless veterans, securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability compensation benefits, obtaining numerous discharge upgrades,…
Sep. 26, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Welcomes Hannah Eastland as New Thomas Fellow and Staff Attorney
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is proud to welcome Hannah Eastland as its newest staff attorney. Hannah joins the Clinic as the Ben and Carolyn Thomas Fellow, where she leads the Clinic’s rural outreach program. In this role, she will ensure that veterans in even the most remote parts of Missouri have access to the benefits they’ve earned through their service. A proud alumna of Mizzou Law, Hannah brings an exceptional academic and professional background to her work. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law and a B.S. in Legal Studies and Political Science, along with A.A. degrees…
Aug. 13, 2025
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner & Citi Awarded Bob Bailey Advocacy Award
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic recently presented Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) and Citigroup (Citi) with the prestigious Bob Bailey Award, recognizing their uncommon zealous advocacy on behalf of veterans. The award honors individuals and organizations that go above and beyond in serving those who have served our nation. BCLP and Citi both have strong legacies of pro bono work to help underserved populations. Most recently, the firm and Citi teamed up with the Veterans Clinic on an initiative to assist veterans with discharge upgrades—a critical mission that can greatly affect employment opportunities, access to benefits, and overall quality of life.
Aug. 11, 2025
Katie Becker Receives National Recognition for Veteran Advocacy
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is proud to announce that attorney Katie Becker has been honored with the Dave Myers Award from the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary impact on the lives of veterans through their advocacy. “Katie’s dedication to our clients and the veteran community is unmatched” said Brent Filbert, Veterans Clinic Director. “She combines sharp legal skill with genuine compassion, and that combination changes lives. This award reflects what we at the Clinic see every day—Katie going above and beyond to fight for those who served.” Named in…
July 30, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic and Welcome Home, Inc. Announce New Partnership to Support Homeless and At-Risk Veterans
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic and Welcome Home, Inc. are proud to announce a new partnership aimed at better serving Missouri’s homeless and at-risk Veterans. Through this collaboration, both organizations will provide coordinated, no-cost support to Veterans in need, combining legal advocacy with critical housing and support services. Welcome Home, Inc., a Columbia-based nonprofit, offers shelter, permanent housing, case management, and wraparound support to help Veterans regain stability and self-sufficiency. The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic, part of the University of Missouri School of Law, provides free legal representation for VA disability compensation and discharge upgrades. “This partnership ensures that Veterans…
July 28, 2025
Clinic Attorney Martha Bradley Kleinhesselink Serves as Member of NCBE Standard Setting Committee
Martha Bradley Kleinhesselink, an attorney at the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic, was appointed to serve as a Subject Matter Expert on the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ (NCBE) standard-setting panel for the forthcoming NextGen bar examination. Mrs. Kleinhesselink was selected to participate in this national panel, which convened in Chicago in May 2025. As part of the panel, she contributed to the critical work of developing recommended passing standards for the NextGen bar exam, which is scheduled for implementation beginning in July 2026. Her participation helped ensure that the examination maintains the rigor and relevance necessary to assess the knowledge…
July 1, 2025
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Veterans in Case Supported by Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Amicus Brief
The United States Supreme Court has ruled unanimously in favor of the veteran in Soto v. United States, a case with significant implications for those seeking Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC). The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic played a key role in the case, with Staff Attorney Katie Becker serving as Counsel of Record on an amicus brief submitted on behalf of the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium (NLSVCC). The amicus brief, joined by Meghan Brooks of the University of South Carolina School of Law and Seth Owens of Syracuse University College of Law, argued that CRSC claims should not be subject…
May 6, 2025
Veterans Clinic Secures Nearly $30,000 in Educational Benefits for Daughter of Disabled Marine
The University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic has successfully resolved a long-running legal battle on behalf of the daughter of a disabled Vietnam veteran. The settlement, reached before the case was scheduled for oral argument before a panel of judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, resulted in nearly $30,000 in retroactive Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits. The case was originally spearheaded by Angela Drake, the founding Director of the Veterans Clinic, who worked on the matter for several years before her retirement. “This case was deeply personal for me,” Drake said. “It was about…
May 1, 2025
Katie Becker Helps Secure Nearly $200,000 in VA Benefits for Veterans in a Single Month
Katie Becker, a staff attorney at the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic, recently helped secure nearly $200,000 in retroactive VA disability compensation for veterans—in just one month. Many veterans wait years—sometimes decades—for the benefits they’ve earned through their service. The VA claims process is often long, complex, and frustrating, requiring careful navigation of regulations, medical evidence, and procedural rules. Without experienced advocates, many veterans are denied the help they need or are forced to wait even longer. That’s where Becker comes in. “These results don’t happen overnight,” Becker said. “They represent years of hard-fought advocacy, and the trust that our clients…