Aug. 13, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Honors Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner & Citi with Bob Bailey 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’s St. Louis office has a robust partnership with the Clinic and with longtime client Citi on pro bono efforts 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…
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…
April 18, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Students Win Case in Federal Court
Erin Zimmerman and Rachel Elliot, Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic students who took part in the Clinic’s Advanced Veterans Clinic class, played a key role in securing a victory for an Army veteran at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Zimmerman and Elliot worked closely with Clinic attorneys Martha Bradley Kleinhesselink and Carter Brooks Templeton on drafting the briefing for Rollins v. McDonough, a case challenging the Board of Veterans’ Appeals’ denial of two key claims: compensation for muscle tissue damage and entitlement to a higher or separate rating for the residuals of a left nephrectomy. On April 18, 2025,…
March 18, 2025
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Team Member Jessica Esguerra Promoted to Major
The Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is proud to celebrate the promotion of Clinic Teaching Assistant Jessica Esguerra, a third-year law student and member of the U.S. Air National Guard, to the rank of Major (O-4). Jessica, who previously served as a student advocate in the Veterans Clinic, and now serves as the Clinic’s teaching assistant, continues to demonstrate exemplary leadership and dedication both in uniform and in her work on behalf of veterans in the Veterans Clinic. Jessica’s promotion to Major places her among an elite group of officers selected for advancement in 2024. The selection process is rigorous and…
March 18, 2025
Clinic Attorney Katie Becker Counsel of Record in Supreme Court Amicus Brief
Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Staff Attorney Katie Becker served as Counsel of Record on an amicus brief recently filed with the Supreme Court of the United States in Soto v. United States. The brief was submitted on behalf of the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium (NLSVCC), a national coalition of law school legal clinics dedicated to serving veterans and their families, of which the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic is a member. Joining Becker on the brief were Meghan Brooks of the University of South Carolina School of Law and Seth Owens of Syracuse University College of Law. Together, the team…