December 2025

2025 Pro Bono Partner Awards Reception

What a night! The Veterans Consortium’s annual Pro Bono Partner Awards was held on 12 November where we recognized, celebrated and honored our partners, sponsors, and volunteers who carry so much of our impactful work supporting the legal needs and deserved benefits of Veterans across our nation.

To kick off the awards ceremony, we were honored to surprise our guests with a virtual interview between U.S. Senator and Army Combat Veteran, Tammy Duckworth, and American Legion Executive Director and retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major, Mario Marquez.

The night ended with Vietnam Veteran Memphis Gold and some swinging blues! It was a pleasure to have Memphis Gold and his band perform again this year - they kept the evening rockin! 

Thank you to our Venue Sponsor, Jones Day, for lending us their beautiful Capitol Hill penthouse again this year.

The work we do would not be possible without the generosity and support of our Victory for Veterans partners and sponsors. We are especially thankful for these law firm partners for consistently going above and beyond for our nation’s Veterans. In particular, we'd like to thank our 2025 Command Partners, whose generosity has had an exponential impact on the lives of the Veterans we serve.



• Baker Botts L.L.P.
• Quarles & Brady LLP
• Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
• Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
• McCarter & English, LLP
• Wilson Sonsini Foundation

Chairman’s Award

Christopher A. Porco, Esq.

Law Firm Pro Bono Mission Partner

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Community Impact Award

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Legal Scholars Award

Cornell Law School Veterans Law Practicum

Disabled American Veterans

Charitable Service Trust Award

Littler Mendelson P.C. 

Warrior for Justice

Roy E. Spicer

Thank You For Your Service, Roy.

After 18 years of service, Roy E. Spicer, of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), has stepped down from his position on The Veterans Consortium’s Board of Directors. In recognition of his service on the Board and the DAV, Roy was honored with the 2025 Warrior for Justice Service Award at The Veteran Consortium's annual Pro Bono Partner Awards.

The Warrior for Justice is awarded to an individual who has shown tireless dedication to our nation's defenders. In this case, Roy Spicer not only dedicated his civilian life to fighting for Veterans rights but he is also a decorated combat Veteran who fought for us all.

Roy’s career of service began in 1968 when he joined the U.S. Army and led a Recon Team in Vietnam, where he sustained serious injuries during combat. Once medically retired, he went on to dedicate more than five decades to Veterans advocacy through the DAV. His military honors, including two Purple Hearts, Bronze Star with “V” device, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, reflect his courage in battle, while his career reflects an equally fierce commitment to justice. 

As Supervisor of the DAV’s National Appeals Office and Director on The Veterans Consortium’s Executive Board since 2008, Roy played a pivotal role in The Veterans Consortium’s transition to a nonprofit organization. He was admitted to the Bar of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as a Non-Attorney Practitioner, where he helped shape the landscape of Veterans law.     

Roy’s leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication empowered thousands of Veterans to receive the benefits and dignity they earned. He leaves a legacy of honor, impact, and inspiration. 

Roy is succeeded on the board by the DAV’s Jim Marszalek, who serves as Assistant Executive Director of DAV’s Washington DC Headquarters. As a founding member, DAV holds a permanent seat on TVC’s board. DAV is also the exclusive sponsor of TVC’s Discharge Upgrade Program, which provides volunteer attorneys to Veterans who received unjust discharge ratings, restoring honor and benefits to those with invisible injuries such as PTSD and MST. 

2025 Moot Court Competition

Every year around Veterans Day, our legal experts volunteer to act as judges for the National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition (NVLMCC).

In addition to lending expertise to the two-day competition, The Veterans Consortium sponsors the event along with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims, CAVC Bar Association, and The George Washington University Law School.

The competition begins with 28 teams with two law students apiece, arguing challenging Veterans Law issues before panels of distinguished practitioners and judges. On the second day, finalists will go head-to-head in the CAVC courtroom before sitting judges!

This year, the finalists for Best Petitioner's Brief were so strong the final verdict ended up being a three-way tie!

Congratulations to the 2025 National Veterans Law

Moot Court Competition Champions

Championship Team

Valeriya Gilmutdinova and Clayton Smith

Stetson University College of Law

Best Oral Advocate

Clayton Smith

Stetson University College of Law

Best Petitioner’s Brief

Elizabeth Bowers and Hannah Hussey

Chapman University Fowler School of Law

Sam Genser and Christian Underhill

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law

Megan Hoefs and Isaac Zwerling

Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law

Best Respondent’s Brief

Alexandra Rye and Darren Stephens

Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law

Annual Veterans Day Week of Service

Every Veterans Day week, The Veterans Consortium trades in a day off for a day "on."

We'd like to thank all the firms and volunteers who chose to make an impact this Veteran's Day.

To our longstanding partners at Quarles & Brady LLP, thank you for hosting our semi-annual Appellate Advocacy before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims at your D.C. Headquarters. This year's training was met with record breaking attendance and infectious enthusiasm for volunteering pro bono. We could not have achieved this without your support.

Thank you to the attorneys at Flynn Group and Davis Wright Tremaine LLP for supporting our Discharge Upgrade Program's virtual Veterans Day Intake Clinic on November 11. Veterans Day often goes uncelebrated by those seeking an upgrade, thank you for dedicating your time to help a Veteran restore their honor.

Thank you to the volunteers from Blank Rome LLP, who spent their Veterans Day week helping non-citizen Veterans navigate the naturalization process and the U.S. Citizenship application.

Lastly, we are grateful for partners and volunteers at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, and Steptoe LLP, who staffed two respective Legal Advice and Referral Clinics in honor of Veterans Day. Thank you for dedicating your time to providing free legal advice and referrals to Veterans in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area.

Thank you to all our partners, volunteers, and staff who spent their day off changing a Veteran's life.

Immigration and Veterans Panel

On November 19, The Veterans Consortium’s Legal Assistance Programs Deputy Director Chesley Michaels, Esq. spoke on a Veterans Immigration panel as part of Cornell Law School's With Duty and Dignity: Veterans’ Human Rights Conference.

Chesley has been spearheading our Veterans Naturalization Assistance Program since 2022.

The conference was sponsored by Cornell Law School's Veterans Law Practicum and the NYS Department of Veterans' Services. The Practicum was also the recipient of this year's Legal Scholars Award which was accepted by James Hardwick, Esq.

Thank you to longtime partners, Cornell Law School Veterans Law Professor, James Hardwick, Esq., and New York State Department of Veterans' Services, Deputy Counsel, Benjamin Pomerance, Esq., for the opportunity to be apart of this event.

Welcome to the Team!

We’re pleased to welcome Aaron Rawls, a recent Columbia Law School graduate, to The Veterans Consortium as the newest Veterans Law Specialist on our U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Case Evaluation & Litigation team.

Aaron holds a B.A. in International Affairs from the University of Georgia, a M.A. in International Security Studies from Georgetown University, and previously participated in the U.S. Army's ROTC program. He also serves as a Captain and Intelligence Officer in the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

Combined Federal Campaign

The 2025 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is open through January 15, 2026.



Federal workers can enter CFC #95004 and provide critical monthly support to:

• Non-Citizen Veterans applying for U.S. Citizenship
• Women Veterans access to VA Benefits
• Veteran Legal Clinics, local and nationwide
• And more!

End of Year Charitable Giving

We have been on the receiving end of many generous donations throughout the year and are immensely grateful that our mission to serve the legal needs of veterans resonates with those who know of our work. 

Should you wish to make a donation or make our work known to someone who you think would support us, click here.

Thank you for your generosity and support on behalf of our nation's Veterans.

Steve Jordon

Executive Director

#theyfoughtforus #vetsprobono

Meet Benjamin Marble!

A dedicated attorney from Littler Mendelson P.C. shares a powerful story about a Discharge Upgrade he was able to help a Veteran obtain.

Please join us in thanking him for all his hard work. If you are a Veterans Consortium volunteer attorney and have an incredible story to share, click below.