Network of legal clinics for veterans proposed

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Efforts are underway to establish a legal clinic to assist veterans in the Rome and Northwest Georgia area.

Steve Shewmaker is an Atlanta-area attorney whose firm, Shewmaker & Shewmaker, handles a significant amount of military legal matters. He said a number of attorneys have expressed interest in establishing such a service in Rome.

The clinic would provide legal assistance to qualifying veterans, for services other than those that have a direct bearing on Veteran’s Administration issues. It would most likely operate out of the VA medical clinic at 30 Chateau Drive.

“Attorneys meet face-to-face with veterans and then those attorneys will either assist veterans on the spot, a one-time consult, educate the veteran and send them on their way,” Shewmaker said. “If more work is required, if that attorney feels competent to handle that particular matter, they may take on the individual as a client.”

They also could refer the veteran to another participating attorney.

Cary S. King, another Atlanta attorney with veterans experience, said his goal is to set up two or three of these clinics a year until there is a legal clinic wherever there is a VA medical clinic.

“This needs to go all over the state,” King said.

The group is working with the Military Legal Assistance Program of the State Bar of Georgia. It’s recruiting attorneys who can help in various sectors — from family practice and bankruptcy to criminal cases and real estate issues.

“We’re very enthused about doing something in Rome,” said Norman Zoller, director of the Military Legal Assistance Program for the state bar. “I do get a lot of calls from up there.”

Zoller said the state has a memorandum of understanding with the VA.

Floyd Superior Court Judge Walter Matthews, a Vietnam-era veteran of the U.S. Navy, said he’s interested in hearing more about the program. He said he wants someone knowledgeable in veterans’ legal issues to speak to the local judges, district attorneys office and public defenders.

“We’re going to find that information out,” Matthews said.

King said Rome attorney Terry Haygood is spearheading the effort to recruit local attorneys to participate in the program.

Virginia Harman, an attorney at McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Smith and Manning, said her firm is sponsoring an annual award for a person who has made a meaningful impact on the lives of local veterans.

The award will be named after the firm founders — Oscar Smith, Charles Shaw, and James D. Maddox Award — who were all veterans.

Source: Rome News

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