LEGAL  ISSUES AFFECTING
VETERANS, RETIREES, ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY
AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS

"A  COURSE TO TRAIN AND ORIENT THE LEGAL COMMUNITY TO COUNSEL & REPRESENT VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY/RETIRED MILITARY  AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS PERSONALLY AND THROUGH PRO SE LEGAL CLINICS"

Date
Friday/Saturday, May 20-21, 2011
Centennial Banquet and Conference Center
Bldg. 11199, East Fort Bliss
(Biggs Army Airfield)

For a printable registration form, please click here

CLE Credit
Pending

Registration Fee
Tuition Costs – Payment & Registration must be received by May 10, 2011
                      (thereafter an additional $50.00)

Attorneys...................... $250.00 both days.............$175.00 one day only
Military Attorneys...........$200.00 both days..............$100 one day only
Non-attorneys................$  75.00 (one or both days)
Full-Time Judiciary.........Complimentary


Registration
Friday
8:00 - 8:30 am
 
Program
Fri  - 8:30am - 5:00pm
Sat - 8:30am - 3:30pm

TOPICS

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011
  • Purpose & Mission of the Bar Assisting Veterans/Military
  • Ft. Bliss Veterans And Military Demographics & Legal Services
  • State & Local Veterans/Military Pro Bono Programs & Clinics

Legal Issues Affecting Veterans, Retirees and their Family Members
  • The Initial Military Client Interview
  • Jurisdiction & Service Of Process
  • Special Appearance
  • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
  • Military Financial Responsibilities to Families
  • Child Support Review, Reducing Support When Activated Or Incarcerated, Enforcement & UIFSA
  • Military Retirement Issues (USFSPA): The Law; Calculating, Drafting, Application, Clarification and Enforcement
  • When Conservators Are Deployed: Changes in duties, responsibilities, conservatorship, possession and access when conservators are in war zones

Luncheon Speaker:
National Legal Services Program: Training Lawyers to Represent Veterans
Kyndra K. Rotunda, University of California at Berkeley


SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011

Legal Issues Affecting Veterans, Retirees, Active Duty (cont’d)
  • Domestic Violence; Military & Civilian Responses
  • Family Court Programs that Directly Affect & Serve the Military
  • Pro Se Divorce, Probate, Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant, Consumer Affairs

Veterans/Military Affairs and Other Relevant Issues
  • USERRA Overview (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act)
  • Attorneys as First-Responders: Recognizing the Destructive Nature of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on the Combat Veterans Legal Decision-Making Process
  • Veterans Mental Health Treatment Courts
  • VA Disability Appeals Process (Overview)
  • Wounded Warriors Program/MEB-PEB Board Representation

LUNCHEON PRESENTATION:
Resources Available to Serve Veterans, Servicemembers & Their Families

Establishing Pro Bono Veterans Legal Clinics and Law School Programs
Pending Continuing Legal Education Accreditation through the State Bar of Texas


_____________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011

8:OOAM-8:30AM      REGISTRATION

8:30AM-8:45AMWELCOME
      
8:45AM-9:15AMPURPOSE & MISSION OF THE BAR ASSISTING
                              VETERANS/MILITARY
      
9:15AM-9:30AMFT. BLISS VETERANS AND MILITARY DEMOGRAPHICS & 
                              LEGAL SERVICES

9:30AM-10:00AM      STATE & LOCAL VETERANS/MILITARY PRO BONO
                              PROGRAMS

10:00AM-10:15AMBREAK

10:15AM-10:45AM     INITIAL MILITARY CLIENT INTERVIEW

10:45AM-11:15AM     JURISDICTION & SERVICE OF PROCESS

11:15AM-12:00PM     SPECIAL APPEARANCE

12:00PM      LUNCH

12:15PM-1:15PM      NATIONAL LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM, Washington D.C.

1:15PM-2:00PMSERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT (SCRA)

2:00PM-2:45PMMILITARY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO FAMILIES

2:45PM-3:15PMPART 2 CHILD SUPPORT REVIEW, REDUCING SUPPORT
                              WHEN ACTIVATED OR INCARCERATED, ENFORCEMENT &
                              UIFSA

3:15PM-3:30PM   BREAK

3:30PM-4:15PM       THE UNIFORM SERVICES FORMER SPOUSES PROTECTION
                             ACT (USFSPA)

4:15PM-5:00PM       MILITARY RETIREMENT ISSUES (USFSPA)

  RECEPTION


SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011

TRACK 1

8:30AM-9:15AM       WHEN CONSERVATORS ARE DEPLOYED- Changes in duties,
                              responsibilities, possession and access and conservatorship 

9:15AM-9:45AM       DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-Domestic Violence; Military & Civilian
                              Responses

9:45AM-10:15AM      PRO SE DIVORCE
       The VLIAO will establish procedures to assist those not 
                              qualified for pro bono representation that will include drafting
                              pleadings, having settlement conferences and legal sufficiency
                              certificates

10:15AM-10:30AM                    BREAK

10:30AM-11:00AM    PROBATE COURT

11:00AM-11:30AM    LANDLORD/TENANT, BANKRUPTCY & CONSUMER AFFAIRS

11:30AM-12:15PM    USERRA OVERVIEW (Uniformed Services Employment and
                              Reemployment Rights Act)

TRACK 2

8:30AM-9:15AM        HOW ATTORNEYS CAN RECOGNIZE PTSD IN THEIR
                              CLIENTS/PTSD 101

9:15AM-10:15AM      VETERANS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT COURTS

10:15AM-10:30AMBREAK

10:30AM-11:30AM     VA DISABILITY APPEALS PROCESS OVERVIEW

11:30AM-12:15PM     WOUNDED WARRIORS PROGRAM/MEB/PEB BOARD
                               REPRESENTATION 

12:15PM      LUNCH

12:30PM-1:30PM       RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SERVE VETERANS,
                               SERVICEMEMBERS & THEIR FAMILIES (AOS, ACS, VA, 
                               TVC, FB-MENTAL HEALTH, VA-Health)

1:30PM-2:30PM         ESTABLISHING PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES FOR
                               VETERANS & ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL

2:30PM-3:30PM         ESTABLISHING VETERANS/MILITARY PROGRAMS IN
                               COLLEGES & LAW SCHOOLS

| More
Conference to Address the Legal Needs of Veterans, Retirees, Active Duty and Their Families 
Program features topics on child support, military financial responsibilities to families, domestic violence, divorce, bankruptcy, landlord/tenant issues, mental health, consumer affairs and more
This site is in no way endorsed by nor affiliated with the Dept of Defense, Dept of the Army or Fort Bliss
This website is owned and operated by a military spouse. It is a monthly online publication written by and for the military spouses of Fort Bliss, Texas.
This site is provided as a motivational and encouragement tool for fellow military spouses assisting each other while residing in the El Paso area.
It is in no way affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army or any governmental agency.
The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily the views of Fort Bliss Spouse or its publishers.
SPEAKERS
Kyndra R. Rotunda
Orange, California
Lecturer, UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall, Associate Professor of Military & International Law, Executive Director, Military & Family Policy Institute and AMVETS Legal Clinic
LTC George McHugh
Washington, D.C.
Liaison Officer between Department of Defense and the American Bar Association’s Military Pro Bono Project, Office of the Secretary of Defense Office of Legal Policy
Heather Spielmaker
Charlotte, Michigan
Director of the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism, Creator of Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program
Donald L. Williams
El Paso, Texas
Advanced Family Law Mediator, Solo practitioner-Law of Offices of Donald L. Williams, Chairman-El Paso Lawyers for Patriots, Chair-Family Law Sub-committee, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans
EL PASO, TX, April 25, 2011 – The El Paso Lawyers for Patriots (EPLP) is proud to announce the much anticipated conference aimed to prepare legal professionals to better address the legal needs of the military community. Though designed for lawyers, experts will feature highly beneficial information that may be used as a tool for presidents and leaders of military organizations such as spouse clubs and veterans groups, who pass along information to members. The seminar will take place May 20-21, 2011 and is presented by the Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans, El Paso Lawyers for Patriots, Army OneSource, State Bar of Texas and the El Paso Bar Association, Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, El Paso Family Law Bar Association and the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office.

The two-day conference offers a broad range of topics to be addressed by leading experts in military legal affairs. Topics include but are not limited to: The Initial Military Client Interview, Jurisdiction & Service of Process, Special Appearance, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), AR 608-99, Military Financial Responsibilities to Families, Child Support Review, Reducing Support When Activated or Incarcerated, Enforcement of Child Support & UIFSA, Military Retirement Issues (USFSPA): The Law; Calculating, Drafting, Application, Clarification and Enforcement, When Conservators Are Deployed: Changes in duties, responsibilities, conservatorship, possession and access when conservators are in war zones, Domestic Violence-Military and Civilian Responses, Pro Se Divorce, Probate, Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant, Consumer Affairs and more. On Saturday, a special presentation during lunch will feature Resources Available to Serve Veterans, Servicemembers and Their Families. A second track on Saturday is dedicated exclusively to Veterans Affairs.

Attorneys in attendance will be encouraged to provide pro bono legal services to qualified personnel. Judges, community service advocates, social workers, law professors, health care and mental health professionals and the veterans and servicemember organizations of which we intend to serve will be in attendance. 

Participants will learn from legal experts from various parts of the U.S., the U.S. military, educational institutions and community service advocates. Presenters include:

  • Captain Evan R. Seamone – Charlottesville, Virginia – Judge Advocate General Corps, USA
  • Kyndra R. Rotunda – Orange, California – Lecturer, UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall, Associate Professor of Military & International Law, Executive Director, Military & Family Policy Institute and AMVETS Legal Clinic
  • Lieutenant Colonel George McHugh – Washington, DC – Liaison Officer between Department of Defense and the American Bar Association’s Military Pro Bono Project, Office of the Secretary of Defense Office of Legal Policy
  • Ouisa Davis – El Paso, Texas – Division Chief, Family Law Information Center/Friend of the Court Division, El Paso County Domestic Relations Office
  • Heather Spielmaker – Charlotte, Michigan – Director of the Center for Ethics, Service, and Professionalism, Creator of Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program
  • Donald L. Williams – El Paso, Texas – Advanced Family Law Mediator, Solo practitioner-Law of Offices of Donald L. Williams, Chairman-El Paso Lawyers for Patriots, Chair-Family Law Sub-committee, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans

The program includes site visits to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

There will be an evening reception for all program participants on May 20th. 


A full schedule of program seminars, presenters and fees is available on the El Paso Lawyers for Patriots website, www.eplp.txltlv.org

Contact: Donald L. Williams
            ChairEPLP@gmail.com
            (915) 564-5559 Office
            (866) 820-5143 Voice             

Capt. Evan Seamone
Charlottesville, Virginia
Judge Advocate General Corps, USA
Ouisa Davis
El Paso, Texas
Division Chief, Family Law Information Center/Friend of the Court Division, El Paso County Domestic Relations Office
Patrick J. McLain
Dallas, Texas
Criminal Defense and Military Law solo practitioner,  retired Marine Corps military judge
Other Speakers include:

Alexandra Rosenblatt, OSJA, Ft. Bliss, Texas

Alan K. Dubois, Attorney

Armand Escalera, Assistant State Director (DOL) Veteran’s Employment and Training Service

Bryan Spencer, State Bar of Texas LAMP Program

Bryan K. Walker, Attorney, Burleson

Chantel Crews, El Paso Bar Association

Chris Borunda, El Paso Lawyers for Patriots, Labor and Employment Lawyer

Col Francis P. King, Staff Judge
Advocate, Ft. Bliss, Texas

Daisy Everhart

Douglas E. Smith

Douglas Smith

E. Stephanie Hebert, Ft. Hood, Texas Legal Assistance

Erica Manning, Program Integration Manager, Army One Source

Fredrick X. Walker

Fritz Fulbruge, Ft. Hood, Texas Legal Assistance Office

Judge Eduardo Gamboa

Judge Gary Aboud

Judge Jesus Rodriguez

Judge Kathleen Anderson

Judge Michele Locke

Judge Patricia Chew

Kay Perry, President, Military Law Section SBOT

Larry Schwartz, Attorney

Leonard Morales

LTC (ret) Raphael Garcia, Area Chair for ESGR

Mary Covington

Nancy Gallego, Director, El Paso Bar Association

Patrick Ball, William Beaumont Army Medical Center

Philip Mullin, President, El Paso Family Law Bar Association

Stephanie Townsend-Allala, Attorney

Terry Tottenham, President, State Bar of Texas

Travis Salas, Attorney, Houston Bar Association

Erica Manning
El Paso, Texas
OneSource Program Integration Manager
Col.(ret) John S. Odom, USAFR
Shreveport, LA

Partner in the firm of Jones & Odom, L.L.P. He practices primarily in the areas of general civil, business and personal injury litigation with emphasis on SCRA and USERRA claims on behalf of servicemembers.