Since 2018, the University of Georgia Veterans Legal Clinic has assisted veterans across the state in obtaining benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The clinic, led by director Alex Scherr, focuses on proving that veterans have service-related injuries affecting their lives.
“We prove to the VA that they have injuries from their military service that impact their life,” Scherr said. “We have produced life-changing money for clients who are facing significant hardships.”
According to Scherr, teams made up of School of Law faculty, students, and staff have helped veterans from more than 100 of Georgia’s 159 counties secure over $16 million in retroactive awards, debts waived, and future payments since the clinic opened. To support claims, the clinic collaborates with UGA’s Psychology Clinic for mental health assessments and utilizes resources like the UGA Speech and Hearing Clinic for medical evaluations.
The impact extends beyond financial support. One client applied for benefits in 2014 but was denied and faced bankruptcy before turning to the clinic in 2019. With assistance from an independent mental health evaluation and an appeal, he received a monthly income and a $360,000 retroactive award.
Alex Douglas, paralegal at the clinic, emphasized both practical and emotional support provided: “The work is tangible: We are helping veterans receive monthly compensation for disabilities that they would not have received without the clinic’s help,” Douglas said. “But it’s also intangible because many of these veterans have felt unheard and misunderstood. Many come to us defeated and confused, and our hope is that by the end there is a weight lifted—someone understands and listens to them.”
Law students play a key role in serving clients through hands-on experience. Each client works with two students per case under supervision.
Staff attorney Ethan Smith highlighted student development: “This clinic highlights the best of both worlds for students,” Smith said. “We are doing good work for people in an area that is underserved, and students are getting a chance to work on real cases that have a real-world impact.”
About twelve students participate each semester—with five working during summer—contributing around 6,000 hours annually.
Scherr added: “We are helping to create lawyers who are both imaginative and empathetic in understanding clients’ situations while also being rigorous and evenhanded in their legal work,” he said. “It’s a good outcome that prepares skilled and capable lawyers who are willing to do work that helps other people.”