Free legal clinics popular with veterans

Aug. 03--HAMPTON -- Preparing a will or advance medical directive is a sobering process. Shelling out a few hundred dollars for legal advice doesn't make it any easier.

That may explain why a relatively new service for low-income Virginia veterans is proving popular: free legal clinics that offer estate planning services and documents such as wills, advance directives and powers of attorney.

A clinic held Tuesday at Thomas Nelson Community College could not accept walk-ins -- all available one-hour slots had been snapped up by veterans who pre-registered. That put a smile on the face of Attorney General Mark Herring, who dropped in for a visit.

"It's a little ironic, because they're very grateful for the volunteer lawyers who are doing this," he said. "It's really us who are grateful for their service."

The clinics are a partnership between the Attorney General, the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. In March, the group held four free clinics around the state. The closest one to the Peninsula was in Chesapeake. The four clinics helped more than 125 veterans. Another 37 veterans and spouses received assistance Tuesday.

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At one of those clinics, Herring recalled the story of a Vietnam veteran who had been diagnosed with cancer. Preparing to enter treatment, he wanted to draw up all the documents necessary for end-of-life issues. He couldn't afford the $500 to $1,500 it can cost for a lawyer, and the clinic came along at just the right time.

"He just felt so relieved," Herring said.

Shawn Heard of Hampton isn't facing that dire situation. But the 20-year Navy veteran from Hampton is approaching 50 and, well, you never know.

"Anything can happen," he said. "I'm a motorcycle rider, too."

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His appointment coincided with Herring's visit, and the attorney general served as the witness when Heard's documents were notarized.

Herring said the legal clinics started when staffers in his office started talking about ways they could give back to veterans. The AG's office has stepped up consumer protection efforts for Virginia veterans, he said, and the free legal help seemed like practical assistance.

The AG's office cites a survey that found more than half of Americans do not have wills and estate planning documents.

Virginia community colleges have hosted the clinics, including the one in Chesapeake, which was at Tidewater Community College. The schools can serve as a pivot point for transitioning military personnel who don't want to attend a four-year school but cannot directly move into a job.

With the advent of the post-911 GI bill, TNCC has seen its military-affiliated student population skyrocket some 50 percent in the last few years, said Kathryn Anderson, director of financial aid and veterans services. That includes veterans and active-duty military plus their spouses and dependents.

Lessig can be reached by phone at 757-298-5122.

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