Special Committee on Veteran’s Affairs and Military Law

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Special Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Military Law

CHAIR:

NEWS & EVENTS

Michael G. Comeau
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Harford County Department of Law
220 S. Main Street
Bel Air , Maryland 21014
P 410-638-3205
C 410-937-9005
F 410-879-7651

Meeting
Thursday, May 16, 2013 | 6:00pm
Building Number 8605
6th Armored Cavalry Road
Ft. Meade, MD 20701

Annual Meeting Program
Helping Hearts and Hands: Giving Back To Our Service Members
Thursday, June 13, 2013 | 11:30 am – 1:30pm

• March 28, 2013 Draft Meeting Minutes

INFORMATION ON PRO BONO REPRESENTATION FOR VETERANS IN VARIOUS COURTS:

http://www.va.gov/vso/ - Providing pro bono representation to veterans at the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees/veterans_benefits.html - ABA Committee website offering directory of pro bono veterans resources and other veterans legal info
http://www.americanbar.org/portals/public_resources/aba_home_front/Military_Pro_Bono.html - ABA Military Pro Bono Project
http://www.probonomd.org/about-veterans-benefits - Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland Veterans' Benefits Pro Bono Project
http://www.mvlslaw.org/ - MD Volunteer Lawyers Service

The following websites provide links to a vast amount of veterans organizations and associations:

http://www.mdva.state.md.us/links.html#two - MD Department of Veterans Affairs listing of veterans support organizations, job search assistance, and military associations
http://www.va.gov/vso/ - Annual directory from US Department of Veterans Affairs of Veterans Service Organizations
http://www.vetfriends.com/organizations/directory.cfm - a conglomeration of reunion organizations and associations in MD

2011/2012 ANNUAL REPORT:

This Committee serves as a resource for attorneys and members of the military community who are facing issues pertaining to all aspects of veterans’ affairs and military law, including military justice, the law of armed conflict, homeland security, environmental law and legal assistance which encompasses family, landlord-tenant and contracted matters. It focuses its current efforts on three fundamental areas in particular: establishing a venue for discussing, exploring and informing the Association on substantive veterans’ affairs and military law issues; exploring the impact the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) will have on Maryland and how the legal community can assist; and providing legal assistance to veterans, military members and their families. The Committee sponsored two trainings on providing legal representation to veterans and continues its role as the proponent of the annual BG Philip Sherman Award, given to an MSBA member that exemplifies selfless service and commitment to providing legal services to military members and veterans.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

UPCOMING – CRUCIAL MEETING OF TASK FORCE EXAMINING VETERANS COURT ISSUE

A task force established by the General Assembly is exploring the issue of establishing special problem solving courts to be known as “Veterans Courts.” Our committee voted unanimously on March 28, 2013 to support the concept of establishing Veterans Courts in the State of Maryland.

The third meeting of the General Assembly’s Task Force on Military Service Members, Veterans, and the Courts’:
Date: June 10, 2013 | 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Location:
Judicial Education and Conference Center (JECC)
Conference Room 9 and 10, Upper Floor of the Judicial Educational and Conference Center
2011-D Commerce Park Drive
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Mission Statement

“The Committee provides a forum for the open exchange of military law and matters affecting veterans and the military community by building and establishing a network of uniformed and civilian professionals, providing educational and legal assistance opportunities, and recognizing those attorneys who have contributed significantly to this goal.”

Purpose of Committee

The Special Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Military Law will serve as a resource for attorneys and members of the military community who are facing issues pertaining to all aspects of military law. With several active duty bases, a military academy, and over 10,000 Reserve and National Guard members, the Committee will strive to be a relevant and helpful resource to those interested in not only the substantive aspect of military law, but also those who want to help our service men and women, and their families.

Military law spans the legal spectrum, and includes military justice, the law of armed conflict, homeland security, environmental law, legal assistance, and contracts – to name but a few areas in which the committee can focus it attention.

Given the variety of issues that the Military Law Committee can engage, this years co-Chairs are concentrating on three fundamental areas: 1) Establishing a venue for discussing, exploring, and informing the Association on substantive military law issues; 2) Exploring the impact the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) will have on Maryland and how the legal community can assist; and 3) Providing legal assistance to veterans, military members, and their families.