During Veterans Month, student advocates in the Cumberland Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic (C-VETS) at Samford University's Cumberland School of Law participated outreach and legal service initiatives that reflect the year-round commitment to serving veterans and their families across Alabama.
On Nov. 5, C-VETS students participated in the Judge John Carroll Wills for Heroes event, hosted by Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Kelly Ingram Post in Birmingham, helping veterans and their families prepare wills and other essential estate planning documents. Four days later on Nov. 9, students took part in a veterans benefits, resources and jobs event hosted by the Central Alabama Veterans Collaborative in Vestavia Hills, connecting veterans and their families with legal resources while sharing information about assistance available through C-VETS.
While these events coincide with Veterans Month, they represent the ongoing mission of Cumberland School of Law and the C-VETS clinic: expanding access to justice for veterans and their families while preparing law students for the realities of legal practice.
The clinic holds special significance at Cumberland School of Law as part of the legacy of Judge John L. Carroll, former dean of the law school, founder of C-VETS and a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in combat during the Vietnam War. Carroll, who passed away in 2023, dedicated much of his career to expanding access to legal services for veterans and underserved communities.
For Kevin Patton, assistant professor of legal clinics, director of C-VETS and a decorated U.S. Navy veteran, that mission remains as relevant today as ever.
"Veterans often face legal issues that can affect nearly every aspect of their lives, from housing and employment to family matters and estate planning," Patton said. "Through C-VETS, our students gain invaluable experience working with real clients and real legal issues while helping ensure veterans receive the support and assistance they have earned through their service."
Established to provide legal assistance to veterans and their families throughout Alabama, C-VETS partners with local and statewide veterans organizations to serve individuals for whom retaining legal counsel would present an undue hardship. Under the supervision of licensed attorneys, students assist with a wide range of legal matters, including wills and estate planning, consumer debt, landlord-tenant disputes, contracts, uncontested family law matters, expungements, driver's license issues and other civil legal concerns.
Since its launch in 2020, C-VETS has served over 1,300 veterans and their family members, now averaging approximately 200 clients each semester.
The clinic's work expands access to justice for veterans and provides students with practical training that extends far beyond the classroom. Through direct client interaction, legal research, counseling and advocacy, students develop the skills and professional judgment necessary for legal practice while gaining a deeper understanding of service-oriented lawyering.
"Judge Carroll believed deeply in serving veterans and in teaching students to use their legal education in service to others," Patton said. "When our students sit across the table from a veteran and help address a legal need, they're carrying forward the vision he established. They gain practical experience that simply can't be replicated in a classroom while making a meaningful difference in someone's life."
Through clinics, outreach events and direct legal representation, C-VETS continues to build on that vision, demonstrating how experiential legal education creates lasting impact for students and the communities they serve. By helping veterans navigate legal challenges and access critical resources, Cumberland students are learning firsthand what it means to use the law as a tool for service.
