10/16/09

Attorneys attend Project SALUTE's pro bono training on Oct. 13 at the State Bar of Michigan's Michael Franck Building in downtown Lansing. (State Bar of Michigan photo)

Forty-three attorneys attended Project SALUTE’s Oct. 13 attorney training at the State Bar of Michigan’s Michael Franck Building in Lansing. The all-day workshop, sponsored by the Pro Bono Initiative, in recognition of Pro Bono Month, prepared them to assist low-income veterans in obtaining Federal benefits.

Project SALUTE, a program sponsored by the University of Detroit Mercy Law School, provides free legal advice to low income veterans across the country, while teaching law school students the value of using the law to serve the community. It provides attorneys with many opportunities each month to be trained in laws affecting veterans.

“We did the original training in February of 2008 here at the Bar,” said SBM Commissioner Peggy Costello. “Since then we’ve trained around 200 attorneys. About 100 of them have live cases right now. And we still don’t have enough attorneys to handle the caseload.”

Costello added that due to the rising number of veterans, and their rising awareness of federal rights due to them, there is an ever-growing need for attorneys to help.

If you missed the October training, Project SALUTE will offer a series of webinar trainings throughout October and November. Find out more at Project SALUTE.

###