Federal Manager's Daily Report

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The VA and a number of other federal departments and agencies have signed a joint statement aimed at improving the free legal services they provide to veterans.

The VA says it hosts about 170 free legal clinics in its medical centers, outpatient clinics and vet centers, where it partners with legal service providers such as bar associations, legal aid organizations, law school clinics and with other federal agencies. “Veterans often face stressful legal situations — such as eviction, foreclosure, child support or driver’s license revocations — that can affect their ability to gain or maintain employment and housing, or focus on medical treatment,” it said.

It said that for example, attorneys and paralegals from VA and 13 other federal agencies have provided fee legal assistance on their own time at the legal clinic in its medical center in Washington, D.C.

Signatories to the new agreement included representatives from Labor, Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, Navy and others.