On Veterans Day, the Daily Journal spoke with California lawyers that are helping veterans with benefit claims. Erik R. Puknys, managing partner of Finnegan’s Palo Alto office, explained that Finnegan attorneys have found their intellectual property experience practicing before the Federal Circuit can translate to representing disabled veterans in appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims. The firm donates all attorney fees it receives while representing veterans in pro bono challenges. Since Finnegan began taking cases in 2008, the firm has given more than $2.5 million to veterans’ organizations across the country. “We have a competition with which office can put in the most hours per attorney on these appeals, and then the winner gets to choose where one of the big firm donations goes,” said Puknys, whose office won the competition last year. “In Palo Alto so far in 2013 we have about 400 hours in.” The article also noted that in 2013, Finnegan received awards from the DAV and the Fisher House Foundation in recognition of their work on behalf of disabled veterans.
