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2018 Fall Conference

18 Oct 2018 @ 8:00am EDT
20 Oct 2018 @ 3:00pm EDT

Event Details

The NOVA 2018 Fall Conference will be held at Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC! The NOVA Conference is intended for both new and experienced veterans law practitioners. The seminar will increase your knowledge, confidence, and expertise in representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition, your time may be credited to your jurisdiction’s CLE requirements. We hope to see you in DC!
 

We are pleased to announce that the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims will hold an oral argument on Friday morning at the conference site!
 

To maintain the professional atmosphere of the seminar, we ask the attendees to wear business attire on Friday. Business casual is appropriate for Thursday and Saturday. Please respect the rights of all attendees. A high standard of public decorum is expected at all times, especially when addressing the assembly and during social functions. Your support of this policy is greatly appreciated.

Click HERE for our conference Brochure!

Washington, D.C. - October 18-20, 2018
Hotel: Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill

The NOVA Room Block Rate is $215 plus tax, per night, single or double occupancy, and is available three days prior and three days after the conference based upon room availability. Room reservations must be made by Monday September 17, 2018 for this rate to be honored. *We recommend booking your room early as the room block always fills before the deadline.

Click HERE to book your room now!

To register, simply choose which session(s) you'd like to attend below, and click "Purchase Tickets" - you will then be asked to provide some basic attendee information.

Or click HERE for our hard copy registration forms.
 

Registration Cancellation Policy:
Before September 28, 2018...........75% of fee paid will be returned
On or After September 28, 2018......No Refund (Seminar Materials will be provided)


Other Registration Information:

  • Please note that the student registration rate is reserved for active full-time law students. If you possess a Law School/Student NOVA Membership as a Law Professor, please register under the NOVA Member Rate
  • When completing your registration, please do so as you would like your name badge at the conference to read. We will also use the information provided on your registration to compile our list of seminar attendees that is distributed with conference materials. We do not use your NOVA member profile information.
     

Multi Registration Discount:

Organizations that register two or more individuals at the same time can apply the multi-registration discount. The discount is 10% off your final amount, or each registration. *Please note this discount does not apply to single registrations and can only be used if registering from the same firm at the same time.*

To apply the discount, when locating which ticket you want to buy, click the link that says "Click here to enter your promotional code" and enter the code: MULTIREGDC, then click submit. When you click "Purchase Tickets" you'll see that your discount has been applied on the next screen.

 

NOVA does not provide hard copies of the conference materials on site. About 2 weeks before the conference, you will receive an email (to the email with which you registered) with a link to download the seminar materials. Some attendees, knowing that NOVA does not provide hard copies on-site, choose to print these out for easy reference. You may also copy the materials to your laptop or tablet, should you plan to bring one to the conference. We recommend you save or print your materials prior to arriving at the conference.

William G. Smith Scholarships

Scholarships have been created in memory of NOVA Founding Member William G. Smith, Esq., who provided leadership and support to countless practitioners in veterans’ law. Scholarships cover the cost of registration only and are available to individuals who are not financially able to attend, and who would not otherwise be able to attend the seminar due to financial hardship. These scholarships are designated for attorneys, non-attorney practitioners, law students, and also accredited veteran’s service representatives.

NOVA no longer accepts scholarship applications for the William G. Smith Scholarship for our 2018 Fall Conference. Please check in with us later this year to apply for scholarship for our 2019 Spring Conference in Nashville, TN.

For detailed session descriptions, visit our brochure by clicking HERE

 

Basic Session - Thursday October 18
8:00-8:15 AM Welcome
8:15-9:15 AM VA's Duty to Maximize
Speaker: Yelena Duterte, Associate Teaching Professor and Director
9:15-10:15 AM Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Claims
Speaker: Allison Reddick, Esq.
10:15-10:30 AM  BREAK
10:30-11:30 AM Accrued Benefits: Why and How to Substitute
Speaker: Dan Smith, Esq.
11:30 AM-12:15 PM Line of Duty Determinations
Speaker: Barry Allen, Esq. Colonel, USAF (Retired JAG)
12:15-1:30 PM LUNCH - On Your Own
1:30 PM-2:30 PM When Can a Congenital Condition Be Compensable?
Speaker: Kenny Dojaquez, Esq.
2:30-3:30 PM When and How to Get Extraschedular Consideration
Speaker: Emma Peterson, Esq.
3:30-3:45 PM BREAK
3:45-5:00 PM Appeals Modernization: Overview of Legislation and Regulations, RAMP and BVA Pilot Program
Speakers: Glenda Herl & Diane Boyd Rauber, Esq.
5:00 PM Q&A With All Speakers

 

Intermediate Session - Friday October 19
8:00-8:15 AM Welcome and Opening Remarks
8:15-9:15 AM The Credibility Trap
Speaker: Professor Daniel Nagin
9:15-9:30 AM BREAK
9:30 - 10:00 AM Pre-Argument Session
Speaker: Zachary Stolz, Esq.
10:00-11:30 AM United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Oral Argument
Case: Speigner v. O’Rourke, No. 16-2811
Appellant's Counsel: Barton F. Stichman, Executive Director, National Veterans Legal Services Program; Caitlin Milo, Esq., NVLSP
Appellee's Counsel: Julia Turner, Esq.
11:30 AM-1:00 PM LUNCH - On Your Own
1:00-1:45 PM VA Speaker
Speaker: Richard J. Hipolit, JD, Deputy General Counsel for Veterans' Programs, Office of the General Counsel
1:45-2:45 PM Recent Cases and How to Use Them in Your VA Practice: Part I
Speaker: Kenneth Carpenter, Esq.
2:45-3:00 PM BREAK
3:00-3:45 PM Recent Cases and How to Use Them in Your VA Practice: Part II
Speaker: Kenneth Carpenter, Esq.
3:45-5:00 PM Appeals Reform Panel: The Future is Now
Moderator: Matt Hill, Esq.
Speakers: Cheryl Mason, Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals; David L. McLenachen, Director, Appeals Management Office; Maria Tripplaar, Staff Director and Counsel, House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
5:30 PM NOVA Reception

 

Advanced Session - Saturday October 20
7:45-8:15 AM NOVA Membership Meeting & Board of Directors Election
8:15-9:00 AM Legislative, Regulatory, and Outreach Update
Speaker: Diane Boyd Rauber, Esq.
9:00-10:00 AM Mind Your Business
Speaker: Chris Attig, Esq.
10:00-10:15 AM BREAK
10:15-11:15 AM How to Win at BVA
Speaker: Bradley Hennings, Esq.
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Navigating the Claims Process: Legacy RAMP and the AMA
Speakers: Christine Clemens, Esq., Virginia Girard-Brady, Esq. Jeany Mark, Esq., and Joe Moore, Esq.
 
12:15-1:30 PM LUNCH - On Your Own
1:30-2:30 PM Ethics Panel
Speaker: Robert Goss, Esq.
2:30 - 3:30 PM Mistakes Were Made
Speaker: Barbara J. Cook


For detailed session descriptions, visit our brochure by clicking HERE

Display the resources you have to offer those who serve our nation's veterans! Among NOVA’s greatest benefits are our semi-annual seminars, held to ensure that our members have the best tools and latest information so they may better serve their clients.

*Exhibitors are responsible for hotel room reservations and cancellations.


Reserve Your Table Now!

Click HERE to access our Exhibitor Registration Form and learn more about how you can display the resources you have to offer those who serve our nation's veterans!  Questions? Contact us by clicking HERE.


Become a NOVA Sponsor

We are eager to work with you and help you publicize the resources you have available more effectively. By sponsoring one of the following events/items we offer at a NOVA Conference, your brand is sure to capture the attention of our attendees.

  • Power Strip Sponsor:    $4,000
  • Breakfast Sponsor:       $2,500
  • Name Badge Sponsor:  $2,500

Organizations that register two or more individuals at the same time can apply the multi-registration discount. The discount is 10% off your final amount, or each registration. *Please note this discount does not apply to single registrations and can only be used if registering from the same firm at the same time.*

To apply the discount, when locating which ticket you want to buy, click the link that says "Click here to enter your promotional code" and enter the code: MULTIREGDC, then click submit. When you click "Purchase Tickets" you'll see that your discount has been applied on the next screen.

CLE credits vary by state and NOVA Programs are usually fully accepted. We have sign in sheets each day to record your attendance for CLE purposes.

At the conclusion of the conference, NOVA staff will calculate your CLE credit hours based on whether you signed in at the registration desk each morning and you will receive an email with necessary forms that you will then have to submit to your state bar or the VA. 

Tickets are sold out

18 Oct 2018 @ 8:00am EDT
20 Oct 2018 @ 3:00pm EDT

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