VETLAW PROGRAM
As Ocampo put it, “[Veterans are] a population that at some point early in their life signed a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. It is now on us to show them our appreciation and gratitude for their service.”
VETERANS SERVING VETERANS After five years in the Marine Corps and deploying to
Afghanistan, Ocampo spent the next decade as a civilian struggling to process his deployment experience. He met countless veterans with the same challenges, many of whom had legal problems that were compounded by mental health issues. In 2015, Ocampo entered law school to get involved with veterans’ advocacy. Through a law school mentor, he discovered the Vetlaw program. For Ocampo, who is now an employment litigator at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis, the most rewarding part of Vetlaw clinics is connecting with and relating to the clients. “Generally, I approach most communications using military jargon, inter-service banter, and through the unique ingrained military sense of humor we share – not an approach I can take with most clients in my practice,” Ocampo said. “This approach is very much appreciated in diffusing what is almost always a difficult conversation. Over the years, I have learned that being able to relate to a veteran is incredibly powerful, especially during a time when they find it difficult to trust someone or to open up and seek help.” Charlie Nelson ’11 J.D. , a financial restructuring and bankruptcy
Charlie Nelson
Jon Wolf
missions. Best has nevertheless experienced a strong connection with his Vetlaw clients through their shared service background, which tends to give way to an honest dialogue about difficult issues. Best noted that attorneys have a choice in their pro bono service, and he encourages people to “have a system for giving back regularly to a cause they believe in.” For him, working with veterans “just feels like the right thing to do.” ‘THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO SERVE YOUR COUNTRY’ Jon Wolf ’11 J.D. , a litigator at Rinke Noonan in St. Cloud, Minnesota, wanted to join the military and got as far as his Military Entrance Processing Station before being medically disqualified. Wolf was disappointed but took seriously a message from his military science instructor, who said, “There are a lot of ways to serve your country and being in the military is just one of them. Keep your eyes open and you’ll find others.” For Wolf, volunteering for the Vetlaw program is a way to “give back to our country as well as individually to people
attorney at Ballard Spahr in Minneapolis, served 10 years in the Air Force. Nelson credits his military service for his professional success: “My training and work experience in the military are the foundation of where I am now – I wouldn’t be a lawyer without it.” Similar to Ocampo, Nelson starts his Vetlaw clinic intake conversations “focused on learning about the veteran and their military service. I’m always humbled to learn about the sacrifices others have made for me, my family and friends, and our community and country. That’s the most rewarding part – connecting on a personal level with our veterans about their experiences in the military.” Though Nelson left the military years ago, he continues to have a strong desire to serve others. “I can think of no better group of people to offer pro bono services to than our veterans.” David Best ’14 J.D. , a family law attorney with Bushnell & Best in Shoreview, Minnesota, also served in the Air Force. He noted that military experiences are not all the same – different service branches, varying years of service, distinct
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