Our Mission
The mission of Connecticut Veterans Legal Center is to help veterans recovering from homelessness and mental illness overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare and income. Listen to Suzanne and Leonard tell their stories.
legal help strengthens veterans in recovery.
Latest News and Events
CVLC files Comment Concerning VA’s Proposed Mental Health Rating Schedule Changes
CVLC Intake Coordinator Juliet Taylor and Staff Attorney Chelsea Donaldson filed a comment regarding the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (VA) proposed changes to the Mental Health Rating Schedule. The comment asks that VA modify its proposed regulations in order to better serve the disabled veterans that both VA and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center have…
Read MoreCongratulations Attorney Christy Fisher and Attorney Sarah E. Dlugoszewski!
The Connecticut Bar Association has recognized two of CVLC’s attorneys for their outstanding legal work on behalf of Connecticut’s veterans. CVLC Senior Counsel, Attorney Christy Fisher, has been awarded the Charles J. Parker Legal Services Award, and Attorney Sarah E. Dlugoszewski has been awarded the Honorable Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award for pro bono…
Read MoreCVLC’s Director of Pro Bono, Partnership & Development Named In Connecticut Magazine’s 40 Under 40: Class of 2022
Ashleigh Backman, CVLC’s current Interim Executive Director, was named Connecticut Magazine’s 40 Under 40 for her work as Director of Pro Bono, Partnerships and Development at Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Pro bono partnerships are critical to CVLC’s mission in that they allow us to expand our reach to serve even more veterans. Read more about…
Read MoreCVLC Attorney Featured in National Story on Military Sexual Trauma
CVLC was honored to see Attorney Chelsea Donaldson’s work with military sexual trauma survivors featured in Peggy McCarthy’s national coverage of the continuing issue of MST and its impact on our veterans. Read more here: http://c-hit.org/2021/12/09/as-congress-moves-to-change-military-sexual-assault-prosecutions-attacks-continue-to-haunt-survivors/
Read MoreCVLC Op-Ed on Veterans’ Continuing Legal Needs Published
Last week, CVLC’s Pre-Law Fellow, Steve Kennedy, published an op-ed across HearstCT Media, including the New Haven Register and Connecticut Post, highlighting the need for continued support for veterans beyond thanking them for their service. As an Iraq veteran himself and lead plaintiff in a class action suit against the U.S. Army, Steve knows the…
Read MoreCVLC stands in solidarity with all who are fighting for justice for Black lives and all those working to dismantle racist systems of oppression.
Whether it is supporting World War II veterans who fought against external fascism only to return to Jim Crow or service members who received unjust administrative discharges because of racial discrimination, we cannot achieve justice for veterans without achieving racial justice. CVLC’s focus on ensuring that all veterans can access healthcare, housing, and income is inextricably linked to undoing deeply entrenched, systemic racism.
Together, we can make change. We are honored that fighting for justice is part of what we do every day and we urge you to support other local organizations dedicated to ending systemic racism like: Co-Creating Effective and Inclusive Organizations (CEIO), CT Core, Black Lives Matter New Haven and Connecticut Bail Fund.
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For every $1 you give, CVLC returns $20 to veterans in increased income and reduced debt.