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Key Facts
- Federal level: In August 2013, the VA, ABA, and LSC jointly announced the Veterans’ Claims Assistance Network (VCAN) to help reduce the disability claims backlog.
- Federal level: The VCAN pilot launched in Chicago and St. Petersburg, Florida, pairing pro bono attorneys with unrepresented veterans to develop their claims.
- Federal level: As of mid-2014, approximately 274,000 of 558,000 pending VA claims had been waiting more than 125 days for a decision.
- Federal level: The ABA and VA finalized a memorandum of understanding in June 2014, and the pilot ran through 2015, targeting around 3,300 veterans.
- Federal level: A 2017 Memorandum of Agreement expanded the collaboration to include the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program and law school clinics, adding 165 free legal clinics.
- Federal level: As of May 2026, the ABA states that VCAN is no longer accepting cases.
- Federal level: The LSC continues to operate a Veterans Pro Bono Grant Program for representation before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
- Federal level: The VA Legal Services for Veterans (LSV-H) grant program, authorized by P.L. 116-315, awarded $42 million to 92 organizations for a two-year cycle beginning October 1, 2025.
- Federal level: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki set a goal in 2013 to eliminate the disability claims backlog by 2015.
- National overview: VA-endorsed resources such as StatesideLegal and ABA Federal Free Legal Answers operate at the state and local level, connecting veterans with free legal help.
Last reviewed: May 2026. Legal rules, forms, deadlines, and procedures can change by jurisdiction, agency, and court system.
- The scale of the backlog and Secretary Shinseki’s goal
- How the pilot worked Chicago and St. Petersburg
- A high level convocation at the ABA Annual Meeting
- Evolution the 2017 Memorandum of Agreement and expansion
- Current status VCAN has ended, but the mission continues
- Current federal programs carrying forward the mission
- Current VA endorsed legal resources
- A legacy of public private partnership
- Sources
In August 2013, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Bar Association, and the Legal Services Corporation announced a partnership that created the Veterans’ Claims Assistance Network (VCAN). The program was designed to connect unrepresented veterans with pro bono attorneys who could help them gather evidence and develop their claims for disability benefits. At the time, the VA was facing a historic backlog of pending claims, and the initiative represented a novel collaboration between a federal agency, the organized bar, and the nation’s single largest funder of civil legal aid.
The scale of the backlog and Secretary Shinseki’s goal
According to a VA press release, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki declared that ending the backlog was an “all hands on deck effort” and set a goal to eliminate it by 2015. By mid-2014, as reported in an ABA Washington Letter, nearly half of the 558,000 pending claims—approximately 274,000—had been waiting more than 125 days for a decision. The partnership aimed to inject private-sector legal resources into the claims development process, which was often the biggest bottleneck.
How the pilot worked Chicago and St. Petersburg
The VCAN pilot launched in two locations: the VA regional offices in Chicago, Illinois, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Pro bono attorneys recruited through the ABA, law firms, the Military Spouse JD Network, and LSC-funded legal aid offices would receive VA accreditation and specialized training. They then assisted unrepresented veterans by gathering the evidence required by law to support their disability claims. An ABA Journal article in 2014 noted that the VA and ABA finalized a memorandum of understanding in June of that year, and the pilot was designed to run through 2015, targeting approximately 3,300 veterans in those two areas. Veterans in the pilot cities received a letter from the VA explaining their options for representation, including the new VCAN resource.
A high level convocation at the ABA Annual Meeting
The initiative was announced at a Convocation on the Legal Needs of Military Families and Veterans during the ABA Annual Meeting. According to the Military Spouse JD Network, the event brought together VA General Counsel Will Gunn, military Judge Advocate General leaders from multiple service branches, and legal aid organizations. Gunn stressed the importance of “jointness” between the VA and private-sector volunteers, using the phrase “One team, one fight.” He noted that three of the top ten unmet needs among veterans were distinctly legal needs, underscoring the urgency of the effort.
Evolution the 2017 Memorandum of Agreement and expansion
In November 2017, the ABA signed a broader Memorandum of Agreement with the VA, the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, and the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium. The agreement aimed to expand VA-hosted free legal clinics—at that time numbering around 165 across VA medical centers—and to grow medical-legal partnerships. The 2017 MoA also highlighted VetLex, a web-based platform launched by the ABA and Jones Day to match attorneys with veterans needing pro bono legal help. At that time, VCAN was still listed as an active ABA initiative.
Current status VCAN has ended, but the mission continues
As of May 2026, the ABA’s VCAN page states that the program is no longer accepting cases. While no official termination date has been published, the original pilot concluded after 2015, and the network appears to have wound down sometime between 2018 and 2023. The ABA now directs veterans to other free resources, including VA-recognized Veterans Service Organizations, the ABA Home Front directory, and StatesideLegal.
Current federal programs carrying forward the mission
The goals of VCAN live on through several federal initiatives. The Legal Services Corporation’s Veterans Pro Bono Grant Program funds free legal representation for veterans in proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The VA also administers the Legal Services for Veterans (LSV-H) grant program, authorized by the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D., Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-315). For the two-year cycle that began October 1, 2025, the VA awarded approximately $42 million to 92 organizations to provide legal services to homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness.
Current VA endorsed legal resources
The VA Office of General Counsel maintains a list of free legal clinics, and points veterans to StatesideLegal.org, ABA Federal Free Legal Answers, and the VetLex platform. Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists at VA Medical Centers can also help connect veterans with local legal clinics and community resources. These resources are not affiliated with the VCAN program but carry forward its spirit of public-private collaboration.
A legacy of public private partnership
Detailed public outcome data from the VCAN pilot is limited; the program was designed to test a model, and its real legacy is seen in the larger, more durable initiatives that followed. The 2013 announcement marked an early, high-profile effort to bring together federal, bar, and legal aid resources to tackle a systemic access-to-justice problem for veterans. The ABA has a long history of mobilizing lawyers for public service, as seen in ABA legal assistance programs. For veterans seeking help today, current options should be verified through official VA, LSC, or state-specific legal aid websites.
