The NOVA 2019 Fall Conference will be held at the Hilton Portland Downtown in Portland, Oregon! 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 Portland!
Based on attendee feedback, our Fall 2019 conference will continue with the format started in fall 2017. The conference is designed to build from basic to advanced topics, with plenty for both the new and experienced practitioner on each day. The first day, formerly known as the New Practitioners’ Session, is now our Basic Session. The Basic Session will cover important foundational concepts critical to a successful practice, such as basics of service connection and ensuring your client is properly rated. Experienced practitioners can also find useful information in our Basic Session, e.g., fee agreements under the new appeals structure and evidence gathering.
The second and third days, also known as our General Session, will cover Intermediate and Advanced Topics respectively, building on the themes of the Basic Session.
Please respect the rights of all attendees. A high standard of public decorum is expected at all times. Your support of this policy is greatly appreciated.
Click HERE for your 2019 Fall Conference Brochure!
Portland, Oregon - September 12-14, 2019
Hotel: Hilton Portland Downtown
921 SW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97204, US
The NOVA Room Block at the Hilton Portland Downtown is now sold out. If there are any cancellations, rooms will be released back into the block. To check availability at the Hilton, please click HERE.
In anticipation of it selling out, we reached out to nearby hotels to secure another small room block to complement our Hilton rooms. We have secured a small room block at the Heathman Hotel, two blocks from the Hilton. This room block rate is $219 plus tax. To make a reservation at the Heathman Hotel, please click HERE.
Hotel: Hilton Portland Downtown
921 SW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97204, US
The NOVA Room Block at the Hilton Portland Downtown is now sold out. If there are any cancellations, rooms will be released back into the block. To check availability at the Hilton, please click HERE.
As we discussed in Nashville, in order to secure good venues in desirable cities at reasonable rates, NOVA plans conferences two to three years in advance. Room blocks are secured based on certain percentages of past attendance. As our numbers have grown, we have tried to increase room blocks with varying degrees of success. Based on our record-breaking attendance in Nashville, we immediately reached out to Portland. Unfortunately, they were unable to expand our room block. In anticipation of it selling out, we reached out to nearby hotels to secure another small room block to complement our Hilton rooms. We have secured a small room block at the Heathman Hotel, two blocks from the Hilton. This room block rate is $219 plus tax. To make a reservation at the Heathman Hotel, please click HERE.
To the extent possible, please do not reserve more rooms than you plan to use. Last minute cancellations, while sometimes unavoidable, can result in inconvenience to other members who are trying to secure a room and financial liability to NOVA. We are committed to providing the best conference experience and working to constantly improve our service. If you have questions about NOVA’s policies, please feel free to email our Executive Director at drauber@vetadvocates.org. If you have questions about the room block or hotels, please contact Meghan McNamer at mmcnamer@vetadvocates.org.
Registration is NOW OPEN!
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.
You can also use our hard copy form, HERE.
The first day is our Basic Session which covers important foundational concepts critical to a successful practice. The second and third days, also known as our General Session, will cover Intermediate and Advanced Topics respectively, building on the themes of the Basic Session.
Registration Cancellation Policy:
Before August 23, 2019...........75% of fee paid will be returned
On or After August 23, 2019......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.
- Please provide a unique email address for each attendee that is their own email, not that of their organization or staff. The email provided on the registration form will be used for all conference communication, including materials and CLE, and we want to ensure proper receipt.
- Please remember to carefully choose which days you would like to attend and register accordingly. You have the option to attend just the basic session - Thursday only. Just the general session - Friday and Saturday only. Or you can choose to attend all three days - Thursday through Saturday.
- Please make sure to contact NOVA staff if you have any disability requiring special accommodation or assistance. We want our attendees to be as comfortable as possible.
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.*
Discount Code: PORTLAND19
NOVA does not provide hard copies of the conference materials on site. About 1-2 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. Make sure to open all PDF's with an adobe reader, in order to access any attachments such as speaker bios and exhibits.
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. The deadline to submit a scholarship was Friday July 12, 2019.
The application process for William G. Smith scholarship is now closed.
Thursday September 12, 2019
| 8:00 AM | Welcoming Remarks - Glenda Herl, NOVA President |
| 8:15 AM | Basics of Service Connection - Drew Early, Esq. |
| 9:45 AM | BREAK |
| 10 AM | Ensuring Your Client is Properly Rated - Christine Clemens, Esq. Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick |
| 11 AM | Understanding Effective Dates - Jonathan Greene, Esq., Greene & Marusak |
| 12 PM | LUNCH (on your own) |
| 1:30 PM | Factors to Consider in the Decision to Represent - Alexandra Curran, Esq. Attig Steel |
| 2:30 PM | Evidence Gathering - Development and Collection - Daniel Smith, Esq. Bosley & Bratch |
| 3:30 PM | BREAK |
| 3:45 PM | Fee Agreements Under the AMA - Amy Kretkowski, Esq., Law Office of Amy B. Kretkowski |
Friday September 13, 2019
| 8:00 AM | Welcoming Remarks/Announcements - Zachary Stolz, NOVA Seminar Committee Chair |
| 8:15 AM | Decision Matrix 2.0 - Kenneth Carpenter, Esq., Carpenter Chartered |
| 9:45 AM | BREAK |
| 10 AM | Appeals Reform Panel With VA Guests - Cheryl Mason, BVA Chairman, David McLenachen, AMO Director & Jackie Imboden, VACO; Moderator Matthew Hill Esq., Hill & Ponton |
| 12 PM | LUNCH (on your own) |
| 1:30 PM | Conversation with CAVC Judges - Chief Judge Robert Davis and Judge Mary Schoelen, United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; Moderator: Zachary Stolz, Esq., Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick |
| 2:15 PM |
BREAK |
| 2:30 PM (Concurrent Sessions, Choose One to Attend) |
TDIU Update - Amanda Mineer, Esq., The Veterans Law Group Advocating For MST Survivors - Renee Burbank, Esq., Yale Law School |
| 3:45 PM (Concurrent Sessions, Choose One to Attend) |
Factual Development and Legal Strategies in Mental Health Claims - Mikayla Pentecost & Olivia Cole, Swords to Plowshares
OR
How to Obtain and Use VA Quality Assurance Records in 1151 Claims - Michael Sepanik, Esq., Law Office of Michael J. Sepanik |
| 5:00 PM | Social Hour |
Saturday September 14, 2019
| 7:45 AM | NOVA Membership Meeting & Board of Directors Election - Glenda Herl, NOVA President & Christine Clemens, Esq., NOVA Secretary |
| 8:15 AM | Outreach, Regulatory, and Legislative Update - Diane Boyd Rauber, Esq., NOVA Executive Director |
| 9 AM | Recent Cases - Barbara Cook, Esq., Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick |
| 10:30 AM | BREAK |
| 10:45 AM | Electronic Access for Attorneys and Agents - Kelsey Craveiro, Esq., Rob Levine and Associates & Bradley Hennings, Esq., Chisholm Chisholm and Kilpatrick |
| 12 PM | LUNCH (on your own) |
| 1 PM | Ethics: Mental Health and Practice Before VA - Chris Attig, Esq., Attig Steel |
| 2PM | Case Study - Ashton Habighurst, Esq. & Thomas Polseno, Esq., Bergmann and Moore |
Check our Conference Brochure for detailed descriptions of the above sessions.
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!
Access our Exhibitor Registration Form HERE to help you 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.
*Exhibitor tables will be assigned at NOVA's discretion. NOVA will assign exhibitor tables in the exhibitor area at the hotel based on our discretion and in compliance with hotel rules.
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. The list below is just a sample of some of the sponsorship opportunities available, contact us for more!
- Power Strip Sponsor: $4,000
- Breakfast Sponsor: $2,500
- Name Badge Sponsor: (Booked for Portland)
- Morning/Afternoon Break Sponsor: $1,000
- Reception Sponsor: $TBD
- Cookies Sponsor: $700
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.*
DISCOUNT CODE: PORTLAND19
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. Then, approximately two weeks after the conference you will receive an email with necessary forms and other supplemental materials that you will then have to submit to your state bar or the VA.
When
Location
- Portland, OR
