NSU Law to Launch First-ever Veterans Law Clinic in South Florida to Serve Active and Retired Military Personnel

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – The Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) announces the establishment of South Florida’s first Veterans Law Clinic. The clinic will be located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and serve as a much-needed pro bono resource to the thousands of U.S. veterans and military personnel living and working in the tri-county area.

Military veterans are more at risk of homelessness, unemployment, matrimonial and health issues, which often give rise to legal and other issues. A survey of non-profit legal organizations in the region revealed that very few organizations are currently helping our nation’s veterans with legal matters of any kind. Opening a clinic dedicated to these matters is a unique opportunity that will enable NSU faculty and students to give back to our nation’s veterans and community.

“Creating the NSU Veterans Law Clinic is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said Athornia Steele, dean of the Shepard Broad Law Center. “We are committed to giving back to our community through service, community engagement and promoting academic excellence – all of which are embodied with this exciting endeavor. NSU students will gain invaluable real-world experience and we will be able to serve those who have served our country in the military.”

With more than 100,000 active duty military personnel in South Florida and over 1.6 million veterans in Florida – 280,000 of those veterans in South Florida – NSU faculty and administrators recognized that a large number of people are not currently being adequately served in their legal matters. The NSU Law Center Veterans Clinic will assist veterans with cases that will have the greatest impact on the stability and success of its clients, such as landlord-tenant cases, consumer matters, domestic relations and state/federal misdemeanors, among others.

The clinic will work in tandem with other university efforts dedicated to empowering the veteran population, such as NSU’s Veteran’s Assistance Center. Additionally, the clinic will work with community partners such as Legal Aid, the Public Defender’s Offices and various military service agencies to spread the word and collaborate on initiatives.

NSU’s Law Center is seeking commitments from South Florida law firms and individuals to create an endowment fund that will allow for the clinic to run in perpetuity, as well as create opportunities for future clinical expansion. The Law Center also will seek grant funding from the federal government and private foundations to help support this necessary and beneficial project.

For more information, visit: www.nova.edu/law

About the Shepard Broad Law Center
Located in the heart of Broward County, the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University integrates a solid foundation in traditional legal subjects and a pioneering clinical program that sets it apart from other law schools. The school offers full-time day and part-time evening programs, as well as Master of Science degrees in health law, education law, and employment law. Additionally, the Shepard Broad Law Center offers a wide variety of international and comparative learning opportunities including courses, clinical opportunities, and law programs abroad. The Shepard Broad Law Center is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

About Nova Southeastern University
Located in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited Florida University dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 28,000 students and is the eighth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The University awards associate’s, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, specialist, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences.  Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU was also awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification in 2010 for the University’s significant commitment to and demonstration of community engagement.   For more information about NSU visit www.nova.edu.

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Media Contact:
Brandon Hensler, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5385/5170(office), 954-393-5926(cell), Brandon.Hensler@nova.edu