On June 30, 2023, the CAVC Historical Society and CAVC Bar Association hosted a panel discussion regarding the evolution of appellate representation before the CAVC.
With the creation of the Court in 1988, veterans and their families had the right of judicial review of their VA appeals for the first time. There was, however, a lack of sufficient qualified counsel to represent these constituents, creating unique problems for the Court and VA. The panel discussed the various ways the Court, and the broader veterans law community, have tried to ensure that interested pro se litigants have representation before the Court. Topics for discussion included the effect of unrepresented litigants on practice before the Court, the rise of the Veterans Consortium, and the evolution of the appellants’ bar.
Panelists
Judge Mary Schoelen, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Linda Blauhut, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Mary Flynn, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs
Ronald Smith, Esq.
Andrew Reynolds, Central Legal Staff, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Moderator
David Ames, Bergmann and Moore, LLC