Representing Veterans: How the VA May Be Liable for Your Attorney Fees

Finnegan partner P. Andrew Riley and veteran’s pro bono counsel Ronald L. Smith contributed an article to the ABA Senior Lawyer Division’s Experience magazine special issue on representing veterans. The authors describe the circumstances when the Veterans Administration must pay fees to an appellant’s lawyer, explain the process where a claim for fees may be filed, and conclude with practical considerations for attorneys and others helping to meet the legal needs of veterans, their dependents, and survivors. Mr. Smith currently leads Finnegan’s veterans pro bono program, focusing on serving disabled military veterans on appeals in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.