Topic: Serving Those Who Served – Providing Effective Legal Services to Veterans

This training will provide an overview for MPA members interested in serving our nation’s veterans. The session will include some basic information on Minnesota’s veteran population, common legal issues, a cultural competence overview, and some of the community and legal resources that are available to serve veterans. The presenter will also provide an overview of the services and resources available through the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, a statewide nonprofit working to end veteran homelessness.

Sara Sommarstrom serves as the Vetlaw Director for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, working with attorneys and non-lawyers across the state of Minnesota to remove and reduce legal barriers to stability for veterans experiencing homelessness and other life crises. Sara is a past member of the ABA Veterans Legal Services Initiative, past co-chair of the ABA Coordinating Committee on Veterans Benefits and Services, a member of the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, and is an active member of several state and local bar association committees. Ms. Sommarstrom was honored to receive recognition as a 2014 Unsung Hero from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans for her work addressing legal barriers to housing and employment stability for homeless veterans. In 2020, Ms. Sommarstrom was named to the Legal Services Corporation’s Veterans Taskforce to help direct legal efforts to serve veterans at over 800 legal services offices across the United States.

Remote attendance is available.

Please RSVP by November 18th.

• Member Cost: Free
• Non-Member Cost: $15

CLE credit has been applied for this session.