Texas Lawbook spotlighted Yetter Coleman LLP associate Luke Schamel, a veteran himself, for his role in a pro bono lawsuit challenging a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs policy governing education benefits.
The article, “Navy Veteran-Turned Lawyer Takes on VA Policy That Denies Education Benefits,” highlights Schamel’s work representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars in litigation before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
The lawsuit challenges the VA’s “break-in-service” rule, which requires certain veterans to have a gap in service to access the full 48 months of education benefits available under the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Petitioners argue the rule improperly limits benefits and conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Rudisill v. McDonough, which clarified that certain veterans may be entitled to benefits under both programs.
More than one million veterans may have been denied full benefits under the policy, according to case filings. The lawsuit seeks to address the rule itself rather than individual benefit determinations.
In the article, Schamel emphasized the broader purpose behind his work with the VFW. “Service takes a lot of forms and pro bono is one way you can serve,” he said. “I think it’s important to help veterans get benefits that they were owed.”
A former U.S. Navy officer, Schamel’s commitment to veterans’ advocacy is rooted in his military background and continues through his pro bono work. At Yetter Coleman, his practice focuses on antitrust litigation, while also contributing to high-impact public interest matters.
Read the full article in The Texas Lawbook.