Veterans legal clinic planned at SIU

A free veterans legal clinic designed to help veterans with a wide range of issues is planned in November at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The inaugural event, which is scheduled Nov. 6 at the SIU School of Law, will pair veterans with licensed attorneys who will offer legal advice and assistance on a wide range of civil issues.

The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Hiram H. Lesar Law Building, which is located at 1150 Douglas Dr. in Carbondale.

Veterans are encouraged to preregister for eligibility pre-screening and to schedule an appointment by calling the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN) at 855-452-3526.

Same-day appointments will be accepted but scheduled appointments are preferred, organizers noted.

The law school and Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation received grants to provide legal aid services as part of the state’s Armed Forces Legal Aid Network. 

The SIU program focuses on helping veterans with discharge upgrades and Veterans Affairs benefit appeals. 

In addition to accepting referrals from the hotline, the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation has developed a new medical legal partnership with the Marion VA Medical Center. 

The law school works to meet the needs of veterans in a 15-county region in Southern Illinois, while SIU Carbondale has a longstanding commitment and history of assisting veterans, active-duty military members, reservists and their dependents. 

In addition to the SIU School of Law, the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation and IL-AFLAN, the Public Interest Law Initiative and the Marion VA Healthcare System are partners in the event.

For more information, contact the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network at 855-452-3526.