(1) Pursuant to 38 CFR §14.629, effective June 23, 2008, an attorney must be accredited by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) in order to assist a claimant in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits. The initial accreditation process consists of an application to the General Counsel (VA Form 21a), self-certification of admission information concerning practice before any other court, bar, or State or Federal agency, and a determination of character and fitness (presumed if member of State bar in good standing).

(2) After initial accreditation, an attorney must also certify in writing to the VA's Office of the General Counsel that the attorney has completed at least 3 hours of qualifying continuing legal education during the first 12 months following the date of initial accreditation by the VA.

The qualifying training course:

• Must be approved for a minimum of 3 hours of CLE credit by any State bar association.
• Must cover representation before the VA, claims procedure, basic eligibility for benefits, right to appeal, disability compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and pension.

The training provided by the Veterans Benefits Advocacy DVD meets the VA's attorney accreditation requirements as set out in 38 CFR §14.629, regardless of the State in which you practice.

• The DVD is approved for 3+ hours of self-study CLE credit in 15 states, which means the VA accepts it towards accreditation regardless of the State in which you practice.
• The DVD and related training materials cover all the topics required by the VA.

Instructions and further information will be provided with your purchase of the Veterans Benefits Advocacy DVD. Order Now!

You may also find more information regarding attorney accreditation on the VA's frequently asked questions website.

Back