For the administration of justice in the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans

Veterans - The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association was created to improve and facilitate the administration of justice in the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

About Us

Veterans - The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association was created to improve and facilitate the administration of justice in the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The purpose of the CAVC Bar Association is to promote the effective practice of veterans law before the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, to provide a forum for discussion of practice issues, to develop suggestions for pertinent system improvements, and to keep its members informed of developments affecting those who assist veterans.

Message from the President – February 2010

As Washington, D.C., digs out from its record-breaking back-to-back snowstorms, I wanted to welcome you to our website and provide a brief update regarding several upcoming Bar Association events. We have some exciting events planned for the next few months, and I hope that you can join us.

For those of you in the Washington, D.C., area, the Bar Association will be holding a Post-Blizzard Happy Hour on Tuesday, February 23, starting at 5 p.m. at Gordon Biersch, 900 F Street, N.W. The snow will still be here, and so will we - so, get out of the office and come out for drinks, appetizers, and to get to know your fellow CAVC Bar Association members. As added enticement, the Bar Association will pick up the tab for the appetizers! We hope that this will be one of many Happy Hours that we plan in the future.

On March 4-5, the Court is holding its Eleventh Judicial Conference, and the Bar Association is pleased to be involved again this year. At the end of the first day, March 4, at 5:30 p.m., the Bar Association will sponsor a reception for conference participants. In addition, on Friday, March 5, immediately following the Court’s conference, the Bar Association will hold a program, beginning at 2 p.m. The first speaker will be Michael P. Allen, Esq., Professor of Law, Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida. Professor Allen, a frequent speaker on veterans law, will discuss “Due Process and the Veteran: What is and What Ought to Be.” Immediately following Professor Allen, we are very pleased to welcome Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. I look forward to seeing many of you at this now sold-out event!
Finally, as I have said in the past, this is your Bar Association, and we aim to be dynamic and responsive to your needs and interests. We want and need your input. We will be e-mailing members in the near future with information regarding various committees and inviting members to participate. We have some exciting events in the works for this year, including another Veterans Law Appellate Advocacy Competition, as well as travelling to law schools to discuss veterans law, the Court, and careers in veterans law. Please contact me at louis_george@nvlsp.org, or telephone me at (202) 265-8305, extension 117, if you would like to get involved in the Association or if you have any questions or suggestions.

Sincerely yours,
Louis J. George

President, CAVC Bar Association

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Louis J. George, Esq., President National Veterans Legal Services Washington, DC	Glenn Bergmann President-Elect Attorney at Law Bethesda, MD
Richard Daley, Esq., Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC	Nicole M. DeGraffenreed, Esq., Treasurer US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Washington, DC
Lisa Banard Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC	Nancy L. Foti Attorney at Law Richmond, VA
Alice Kerns, Esq. U.S Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Washington, DC	Rebecca C. Patrick Attorney at Law Columbia, SC
David L. Quinn Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC	Gayle Strommen, Esq. Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC
Sandra W. Wischow Attorney at Law Richmond, VA

Standing Committees
2010–2011

Constitution and Bylaws Committee
Alice Kerns - Chair

The Constitution and By-Laws Committee responds to inquiries from the Board of Governors and provides advice to the Board on how a specific proposal or request may be affected by those documents. If required, the Committee is also tasked with drafting proposed revisions to those documents.

Law School Education Committee
Alice Kerns- Chair

The Law School Education Committee provides outreach by assisting the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claim in scheduling oral arguments at law schools across the United States. The committee’s goal is to provide students an opportunity to get a comprehensive view of the issues and details relating to this legal profession.

Membership Committee
Rebecca Patrick - Chair

The Membership Committee is responsible for maintaining the membership records and communicating with the membership at large. The committee also develops and implements ideas for recruitment of new members.

Nomination and Election Committee
Louis George- Co-Chair
David Quinn - Co-Chair

The Nomination and Election Committee is comprised of the current president and president-elect as well as any former presidents who wish to participate. The committee is responsible for nominating officers and members for the Board of Governors as required by the Constitution and By-laws.

Portrait Committee
Alice Kerns - Chair

The Portrait Committee is responsible for raising funds, commissioning an artist and coordinating decisions relating to the preparation of the portrait for retiring judges. The responsibility is completed with a presentation ceremony before the Court and the hanging of the portrait in the Courtroom thereafter.

Program Committee
Glenn Bergmann - Chair

The Program Committee is responsible for designing, planning, organizing and implementing the educational and informational programs of the Association.

Publication Committee
Lou George - Chair

The goal of the Publication Committee is to coordinate and direct publications including: The Veterans Law Journal and the website. The intention of the committee is to inform the membership. If you are aware of any pending cases at the CAVC or the Federal Circuit that should be profiled or if you would like to contribute to the next issue of the Veterans Law Journal, please e-mail the Journal's editor Lou George.

Website Subcommittee
Lou George - Co-Chair
Nancy Foti - Co-Chair
Gayle Strommen-Co-Chair

The website subcommittee is presently working on improvements to the association’s website. Any questions or suggestions may be directed to info@cavcbar.net.

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	Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association PO Box 7992 Washington, DC 20044-7992


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