Released 2/24/21 | Tags:
National Veterans Legal Services Program Welcomes Renée Burbank As Director of Litigation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- February 24, 2021
The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is pleased to announce the hiring of Renée Burbank as NVLSP’s Director of Litigation.
Ms. Burbank is coming to NVLSP with a wealth of legal experience. After serving as a law clerk for Judge David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Ms. Burbank spent 8 years in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice representing the Government as lead counsel or co-counsel in more than 100 lawsuits. Thereafter, Ms. Burbank moved to Yale Law School, where she has worked for nearly three years as Clinical Lecturer in Law, Research Scholar in Law and Robert M. Cover Clinical Teaching Fellow at the School’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic.
“Renée has an exceptional legal background with a unique balance of expertise in federal court litigation and veterans law built on her work at the U.S. Department of Justice and Yale Law School. The breadth and depth of her legal skills and insights will be extremely valuable to NVLSP in advancing our mission to ensure that veterans and their families receive the benefits they have earned by virtue of their military service,” said NVLSP’s Executive Director Bart Stichman. “Once Renée finishes the 2021 spring semester at Yale, she should be able to hit the ground running as our Director of Litigation.”
As Director of Litigation, Ms. Burbank will supervise all individual lawsuits brought by NVLSP in U.S. district courts, Article III courts of appeals, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, as well as all of NVLSP’s class actions and other law reform cases.
During her tenure at Yale, Ms. Burbank expanded her knowledge of veterans benefits law through advocacy at all levels of administrative and judicial review as well as class actions and impact litigation.
Prior to Yale Law School, Ms. Burbank served as Trial Attorney and Senior Trial Counsel at the Department of Justice, Civil Division in the Commercial Litigation Branch. Her practice area included all aspects of civil litigation at trial and appellate levels with a concentration in eminent domain, international trade and veterans’ benefits. Ms. Burbank’s work earned her several accolades including a Civil Division Special Commendation Award and nomination for the Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee.
Ms. Burbank is a graduate of the University of Chicago (A. B.) and Harvard Law School (J.D.). She is an active member in good standing of the Connecticut and North Carolina State Bars, and a VA-accredited attorney. She is admitted to practice before the Federal Circuit, District of Connecticut, District of Maryland, U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
About The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP)
The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is an independent, nonprofit veterans service organization that has served active duty military personnel and veterans since 1981. NVLSP strives to ensure that our nation honors its commitment to its 22 million veterans and active duty personnel by ensuring they have the benefits they have earned through their service to our country. NVLSP has represented veterans in lawsuits that compelled enforcement of the law where the VA or other military services denied benefits to veterans in violation of the law. NVLSP’s success in these lawsuits has resulted in more than $5.2 billion dollars being awarded in disability, death and medical benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their survivors. NVLSP offers training for attorneys and other advocates; connects veterans and active duty personnel with pro bono legal help when seeking disability benefits; publishes the nation's definitive guide on veteran benefits; and represents and litigates for veterans and their families before the VA, military discharge review agencies and federal courts. For more information go to www.nvlsp.org.
Media contacts:
For NVLSP: Patty Briotta, office 202-621-5698, patty@nvlsp.org