Cumberland School of Law Launches First Full-Service Law School Clinic in Alabama for Veterans

Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law has launched the first full-service law school clinic in Alabama for veterans. The Cumberland Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic (C-VETS) provides free legal assistance to veterans and their families in an eight-county area of North Central Alabama including Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Cullman, Etowah, Jefferson, Shelby and Walker counties.

C-VETS is now accepting applications for legal assistance in a wide variety of civil matters including consumer debt, landlord-tenant, contracts, uncontested family law matters and wills. Law students and practicing attorneys may also assist with criminal matters such as expungement, driver license issues and fines and court costs.

The clinic is led by supervising attorney Judge John L. Carroll. Carroll, alumnus and former dean of Cumberland School of Law, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and has many years of experience representing veterans with legal issues. He assists veterans on cases referred by The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program headquartered in Washington, D.C., and he was a leader in helping the Birmingham Volunteer Lawyer’s Program establish the Veteran’s Help Desk at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in downtown Birmingham.

“A core value of Cumberland School of Law and of the legal profession is service to others,” Carroll said. “C-VETS provides a unique way for our students to truly answer the call to serve by providing free legal assistance to veterans and their families. Veterans and their families have given so much to our country, and the creation of C-VETS allows our students and attorneys to give something back to them.”

C-VETS was launched with the generous support of Cumberland alumnus and veteran Stephen B. Moss and a $10,000 grant from The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.

Learn more about C-VETS and how to apply for legal assistance at samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/c-vets.

For interviews with Judge John Carroll, he may be contacted by email at jlcarrol@samford.edu, cell phone at 205-335-9143, or office phone at 205-726-2690.

Submitted by Morgan Black.