NYSBA Pro Bono Attorney Training – Helping Veterans Claim Benefits

The Restoration of Honor Act (A8097/S45B) authorizes the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services (NYS DVS) to restore access to State Veterans Benefits to Veterans who have an Other-Than-Honorable Discharge (OTH) or a General Under Honorable Conditions Discharge due to any of the following:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
• Sexual Orientation
• Gender Identity

Volunteers will help veterans apply for benefits under this program. Assistance may also include helping the veteran secure necessary paperwork, such as military records from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Lawyers who are interested in volunteering will be required to participate in a free training webinar worth 1.0 MCLE credit. Volunteers must complete the training webinar to be eligible to receive cases from NYSBA.

The training webinar is free for both members and non-members but you must log in to the NYSBA website to access the webinar and earn MCLE credits. Please contact the NYSBA Member Resource Center at [email protected] or 800-582-2452 should you need assistance in accessing the training webinar.



Volunteers must be admitted attorneys. Malpractice insurance coverage is provided for volunteers.

Speaker: Benjamin Pomerance, Esq.

Deputy Director, New York State Division of Veterans’ Services

Introduction by Jessica Thaler Parker, Esq.

Co-Chair, NYSBA Committee on Veterans

Moderator: Roy M. Diehl, Esq.

Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, Retired

Deputy Director, Veterans Defense Program

New York State Defenders Association