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UPCOMING EVENTS

Greetings,

In honor of Veterans Day, we’re featuring veteran and alumna Jordan Davies as well as third-year law student and veteran Liam Williams. Also, learn more about the work of our Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic, including a Supreme Court amicus brief.

Thank you, Jordan, Liam and all other veterans in our community, for your service.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

“Listening to Professor Jamie Ratner’s lecture on contracts, I could have never imagined myself sitting in a trailer in Saudi Arabia providing legal reviews for infrastructure contracts to support construction of base facilities,” says University of Arizona Law alumna Jordan Davies (’17), as she reflected after returning from a six-month deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base. “University of Arizona Law equipped me with the skillset and resilience I needed to perform as an Air Force judge advocate in an austere and complicated environment.” 

Over the course of those six months, Jordan supported contracting actions totaling over $20 million in value to improve the quality of life for military members deployed to her location.

Jordan—now a captain in the U.S. Air Force—knew she wanted a challenging career focused on litigation after graduating from University of Arizona Law. Drawing from the skills she learned in the Basic and Advanced Trial Advocacy courses, Jordan began her Air Force career in the courtroom as government trial counsel at Peterson-Schriever Garrison in Colorado and later moved to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota where she continued her litigation practice. 

“Representing the government in complex trials has taught me the critical importance of meticulous preparation—and to draw on core legal skills, such as research, writing and persuasion,” she explained. 

Jordan has prosecuted numerous military courts-martial with charges ranging from drug abuse to sexual assault. While deployed to Saudi Arabia, she advised federal investigators on five high-visibility criminal investigations, laying the groundwork for action by senior military commanders.

“My experience as an Air Force judge advocate has allowed me to draw from all the legal disciplines I studied at University of Arizona Law—from contracts to property law and criminal law to tort law. The opportunity and success I have had as a judge advocate is a testament to the versatility of my legal education,” she says.

In addition to her litigation practice, Jordan has advised commanders on critical operational law matters, such as the authorities for using unmanned aircraft systems for force protection, and she has provided military members legal assistance support for landlord-tenant issues, divorce, estate planning and immigration, saving clients over $240,000 in legal fees.

Arizona Law is proud to count Jordan among its students and alumni who have served, do serve, or plan to serve in the military. We thank them for their service to our country and wish them all well this Veterans Day.

(Special thanks to Lt. Col. Micah Elggren, Staff Judge Advocate at Minot Air Force Base, for sharing Capt. Davies’ story.)

AROUND THE COLLEGE

Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic students in Veterans Treatment Court. Seated left to right: Caleb Lynch, Hayden Young; standing: Prof. Huskey, Jordan Devorak, Nick Moshkriz, Liam Williams, Prof. Lewis

The Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic, led by Clinic Professor and Director Kristine Huskey, has been providing pro bono legal services for over ten years to those who served in the United States military. The Clinic helps veterans by removing legal barriers that hinder the transition from military service to civilian life. It assists veterans in veteran treatment courts, on disability benefits compensation cases, on discharge upgrade and correction of military record cases, through a robust intake and referral program and on special projects and community outreach.

The Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic has had a busy year, including representing a veteran in a hearing before the Board of Veterans Appeals in Portland, Oregon, two veterans seeking Purple Heart awards, and over 100 veterans in local treatment courts, as well as helping almost 200 veterans with referrals and limited legal advice and submitting an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court!  

In September 2021, we began representing a Vietnam Veteran on a disability benefits compensation case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. After negotiating with the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), we procured a remand back to the Board of Veterans Appeals with the goal of increasing the rating of our client’s heart disability, which was caused by his deployment to Vietnam. The remand was a win as it gave our client the opportunity to present additional evidence at a hearing. In March 2023, law students Anthony Soldo Mirkhai, Fletcher Dircks and Liam Williams along with volunteer attorney Anna Caruso went to Portland, Oregon to represent the client at the hearing. We recently learned that our client is receiving a new medical examination to confirm our request for a higher disability rating.

In September of this year, the Clinic submitted an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court in support of a veteran’s petition for writ of certiorari.

The veteran was denied reimbursement by the VA for emergency health care while abroad. At the request of the veteran’s attorneys at Wilmer Hale, we submitted a brief addressing the far-reaching negative consequences of such a policy.

Our team worked hard to show this decision was incongruent with two federal statutes and disconnected with the modern veteran experience that comes with an increased possibility of living, traveling, working or studying abroad. 

By the time we submitted the brief, our team had mastered a niche area of VA policy, three federal statues and Supreme Court procedural rules. The amicus team embraced the challenge of showing the Court how the Federal Circuit’s decision severely harms veteran opportunities and is antithetical to the Supreme Court’s long recognized pro-veteran canon of interpretation.

Many thanks to team members Danielle Chapman, Jordan Devorak, Nicholas Moshkriz, Liam Williams and Rosie Ezgur, as well as counsel of record Kristine Huskey, for their hard work and successful submission of the amicus brief. The finished product can be read here. The request for certiorari is currently pending.

The Clinic currently represents two veterans on their respective applications for a Purple Heart (“PH”). One veteran was in the Army National Guard serving in Iraq when the field truck in which she was riding was struck in a head-on collision. The veteran suffered a severe concussion and was later diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”) and determined to be 100% disabled. Law students Caleb Lynch and Hayden Young will submit an application to the U.S. Department of Defense Army Board for the Correction of Military Records on her behalf.

Our other Purple Heart client is a young Native American Marine veteran who also served in Iraq. On his second deployment, the tank in which he was riding struck an improvised explosive device. He was diagnosed by the VA with a TBI. Law students Becca Bain and Carson Sparks (pictured right) have been working on his case and will also submit an application to a military board at the end of the semester. 

In our Veterans Treatment Court program, led by Clinic Fellow Lori Lewis, Clinic students represent veterans and active-duty military who have been charged with misdemeanors and have been diverted to a treatment program. In the last year, our students participated in 50 half-day court sessions, representing approximately 110 clients. 

One recent client who graduated from treatment court expressed her thanks in a letter:

“I want to say thank you again to Judge Semon, Mr. Vinny the prosecutor, Mrs. Lori and the Arizona University Law Clinic Students, Kama and the Center for Life Crew, Alex, Angel, and Jim for everything. I am humbled and forever grateful for this second chance. I appreciate you all.”

Jordan Devorak, Danielle Chapman, Hayden Young, Caleb Lynch

Law students who have worked in Veterans Treatment Court over the last year include Becca Bain, Jonathan Becker (’23), Danielle Chapman, Jordan Devorak, Fletcher Dircks (’23), David Greene (Air Force reservist), Violet Konopka, Caleb Lynch, Nicholas Moshkriz, Austin Quick (’23), Briana Rodriguez (’23), Anthony Soldo Mirkhai (’23), Carson Sparks, Liam Williams (veteran) and Hayden Young. 

The Clinic continued its service of providing telephonic intakes and referrals to the many veterans and family members who contacted the Clinic requesting legal assistance. In the last year, we fielded 180 inquiries from veterans who sought legal assistance. University of Arizona undergraduate interns Rosie Ezgur, Sedona Diazzi and Isaiah Shrier helped veterans with their requests, doing research and finding them appropriate attorney and nonprofit organizations for matters such as family law, employment, landlord/tenant, consumer issues and other civil issues.

Front row: Prof. Huskey, Prof. Lewis, Sedona Diazzi (undergrad intern), Briana Rodriguez, Voilet Konopka (’24), Austin Quick (’23), Jonathan Becker (’23); Back row: Anthony Mirkhai (’23), David Greene (’24, veteran), and Fletcher Dircks (’23)

One referred client mailed a real letter (not email!) conveying his appreciation:

“I have received your letter today and was happily surprised when reading it. Your reaching out to help me is a courtesy. I’m also pleased to know that [you] were eager to provide several referrals, and continuous availability. It is my privilege that you feel honor when reading of my case and self.”

We are lucky to have the assistance of volunteer attorneys helping to teach and supervise our students: Michelle Bowen (’15, veteran), Dayna Michael (’17, veteran), Anna Caruso, Jessie Pringle, Robert McManimon (Eller ’22, veteran), Megan Hoffman (veteran) and Tom Strong. 

The Clinic was rewarded for its hard work with a surprise substantial donation from the Veterans Justice Foundation. The gift will support an annual scholarship, the Ted and Linda Strong Scholarship for Veterans Advocacy, to a returning Veterans Clinic student who demonstrates academic excellence and has an interest in serving communities with their law degree that have disproportionately experienced injustice. Deep appreciation for the Strong family (pictured above) and their support of our students and veterans advocacy!  

We are truly grateful to have the support of the entire College of Law community, which helps us to help those who have served. 

What brought you to the University of Arizona Law?

I came to Tucson when I got out of the army because my children were here. I got lucky in that there was a great school in town.

Tell us about your military service.

I was a flight paramedic in the United States Army. I got to learn a ton about medicine, helicopters and the usual military traits of discipline, fortitude and the like. But mostly I learned about myself, who I really am and what I really want. You have a lot of time to think in the back seat of a helicopter during training missions.

What does being a veteran mean to you?

I’m always torn about questions like this. For me, I joined the military because I needed a job. I didn’t consider it as some sacrifice, or some grand opportunity. And I think that colors how I view it today. But I know when I meet another veteran we probably both have some fun stories to share.

Describe your involvement in the Veterans Clinic.

I have adored my time with the Veterans Clinic. The experience in the Regional Veterans Treatment Court has been priceless. Not only has it prepared me for working with clients, talking to opposing and co-counsel, and presenting to a judge, it’s given me the opportunity to help people. And I greatly appreciate that. It’s also given me the opportunity to go up against the VA which is something I personally enjoy.

What do you plan to do after law school? What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to be a Jedi Knight, though I know we’re a few years off from that being possible still. In the meantime though, I want to help my community somehow. And I don’t just mean the Veterans community, but the people who are just around me. I’m not sure how but I know that opportunity will present itself.

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We are honored to have spent a decade supporting veterans in our Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic, and delighted that so many veterans have come to Arizona Law for their legal training.  

The gift from Ted and Linda Strong lets us do more – in support of our students, and to recognize this critical work. Thank you.  

And thank you to all who have served.

Warmly,