Honoring our veterans

Veterans often face innumerable barriers upon their return home from deployment. From the mental and physical tolls of their service to struggles finding jobs, reintegrating into civilian life can be challenging. These difficulties shed light on a troubling reality; more than 40,000 veterans were homeless last year and more than a million veterans are currently living below the federal poverty line.

DLA Piper is committed to helping veterans navigate their legal needs. DLA Piper donates more than 9,000 pro bono and community engagement hours annually to veterans’ cases and research in recent years. From hosting legal clinics, to working with the Legal Services Corporation's Veterans Task Force, to providing legal assistance to veteran-owned businesses, DLA Piper is honored to lend a hand to those who served our country.

Serving Those Who Serve Our Country

Since 2008, more than 700 lawyers have dedicated more than 60,000 hours to the firm’s work with veterans. This is comprised of many concurrent initiatives, including efforts to help veterans upgrade their discharge characterization of service, access combat-related special compensation (CRSC) benefits, and provide supplies and services to homeless veterans by volunteering at Stand Downs. In each of these areas, DLA Piper lawyers across the country demonstrated their appreciation and dedication to supporting the veteran community.

Stand Downs

DLA Piper lawyers serve at Stand Downs, which are multi-day events providing services to homeless veterans, including food, shelter, clothing, and legal and professional services. DLA Piper’s San Diego team, including Ethan Katz, Tanya Tanner, Christine Lentz, and Megan Kinney, volunteered at Stand Down San Diego’s annual event. They helped veterans clear more than 20 warrants/DMV holds and assisted more than 100 veterans in clearing their fines and fees. This assistance not only helps veterans remove barriers preventing them from employment but also improves their ability to retain housing. DLA Piper is proud of the San Diego team and the many DLA Piper lawyers and business professionals around the country who have made impactful contributions at Stand Downs.

"I’m grateful for each of these opportunities to deliver legal services and see the personal, meaningful impact we can have in veterans’ lives."
– Jonathan M. Kinney, Associate, New York

Helping veterans access benefits and compensation

The resources veterans are able to access upon their return home often depend on the nature of their service and how that service is characterized. In one case, a client was repeatedly denied combat-related special compensation despite having suffered multiple debilitating injuries while serving in Afghanistan. DLA Piper’s Patrick Park (Los Angeles) worked diligently to file an appeal with the necessary evidence, resulting in the client gaining access to compensation.

In another impactful case, a client had been receiving only ten percent of the total combat-related special compensation (CRSC) benefits because his disability was not considered combat related, despite his direct involvement in retrieving and returning home soldiers who were killed in action. We took on the veteran’s case and helped in dramatically increasing the benefit amount he received. Our ability to successfully argue that our client’s service was combat related opened up a world of resources and made a lasting impact on the client’s life.

Helping veterans with discharge upgrades

The distinction between an honorable discharge and other discharge designations is critical in determining veterans’ access to benefits and support. In many cases, veterans are unable to access the benefits associated with an honorable discharge. Our volunteers assist veterans in their applications to upgrade their characterization of service and thereby increase access to benefits and career opportunities. This project has led to numerous wins for clients. In one example, a client who served on active duty as part of the war on terror had been repeatedly diagnosed with mental disorders and did not receive a proper treatment. The client faced harassment from her commanding officer, which aggravated her psychological stress to a point where she was later discharged. After demonstrating the documented harassment and successfully proving that the client suffered from bipolar disorder, Matt Gruenberg (Los Angeles) was able to secure a discharge upgrade to an honorable discharge characterization.

Upgrading a client’s discharge characterization was momentous for another client whose “Other Than Honorable” characterization limited his access to GI Bill and VA healthcare benefits, making it considerably harder for him to find a job and access military installations. Jonathan Kinney (New York), a Marine Corps veteran and member of the firm’s VALOR Resource Group, fought hard to win an honorable discharge for his client.

Supporting veteran entrepreneurs

When they return home from deployment, veterans pursuing entrepreneurial aspirations often face an array of challenges. DLA Piper recognizes the need to expand access to legal resources to veteran business owners and those starting out in the business world. In 2023, Ethan Katz and Sal Favuzza (both Miami) volunteered with the Veterans Women Igniting the Spirit Entrepreneurship (V-Wise), a program to support women veterans by providing information on establishing a business and protecting intellectual property. Ethan and Sal’s participation elicited immense gratitude from the participants and was a deeply rewarding experience for both.