Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applied for the VLJ job they posted last year. Got interviewed 30 days after application. Was told by Chairman that we would hear back at end of January 22. They January came and went and we heard nothing. Basically got ghosted and I know of two other that this happened too.

After reading this board it looks like I dodged a bullet. I am better of staying out at my current job till I retire in three years.

You must have been an external candidate for VLJ? Do you have experience in Veterans Law?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied for the VLJ job they posted last year. Got interviewed 30 days after application. Was told by Chairman that we would hear back at end of January 22. They January came and went and we heard nothing. Basically got ghosted and I know of two other that this happened too.

After reading this board it looks like I dodged a bullet. I am better of staying out at my current job till I retire in three years.

I actually declined an offer from them in 2006-2007. I still probably should have taken it but it was a huge pay cut. It probably wasn’t as horrible as I read it is today. Because I didn’t take it remained a staff attorney I don’t have any marketable experience

BVA won’t give you any marketable experience. VA disability law is a very niche area with very few opportunities outside of VA.

but at least I’d have a writing sample that hasn’t been edited. And I’d be more qualified for SSA and other decision writing jobs

I guess it depends on what you're doing now. Once you get into the groove with BVA it can be alright. GS 14 is not a bad paycheck and eventually you get enough vacation time to take some days off and enjoy life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applied for the VLJ job they posted last year. Got interviewed 30 days after application. Was told by Chairman that we would hear back at end of January 22. They January came and went and we heard nothing. Basically got ghosted and I know of two other that this happened too.

Getting ghosted by the BVA is pretty standard. They treat most of their employees poorly, so why wouldn't they do the same for applicants? They rarely respond to anyone applying for a job there, unless you get selected. Otherwise, you're just left twisting in the wind.

[Anonymous]

A rebellion is brewing at the Board. This time from the judges. They're accusing the Chairman of mismanaging the Board to such an extent that its severely harming military veterans.

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

[Anonymous]

Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

Okay, but are the underlying allegations of gross mismanagement untrue? That's the main question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

Okay, but are the underlying allegations of gross mismanagement untrue? That's the main question.

So hard to take the complaints seriously when the presentation of them is so abysmal. Like that years old poll the troll loves posting, the union did a really poor job of writing it up, how can anyone take them seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

Okay, but are the underlying allegations of gross mismanagement untrue? That's the main question.

So hard to take the complaints seriously when the presentation of them is so abysmal. Like that years old poll the troll loves posting, the union did a really poor job of writing it up, how can anyone take them seriously?

The largest and most prestigious VA disability law firm in the nation is taking the allegations seriously. CCK is the law firm that runs the Veterans Law Clinic at Harvard Law School.

https://cck-law.com/blog/cck-law-takes-legal-action-against-department-of-veterans-affairs/

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A rebellion is brewing at the Board. This time from the judges. They're accusing the Chairman of mismanaging the Board to such an extent that its severely harming military veterans.

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

Hard to feel too much sorrow for the VLJs here. They've got a point, but attorneys have been working under such a quota system for nearly 20 years now. Many (though not all) VLJs were unsympathetic to attorney concerns and didn't push back against management's attempts to increase the quota back then. Now they're feeling the same pressure? Welcome to unpaid overtime, just like attorneys have been doing for years and years. Or they could go back to being decision-drafting attorneys, if being a VLJ is too hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

You clearly have an agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

You clearly have an agenda.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, the combination of federal style handbook, the period outside of quotations, mixed with only one space after a period. Says a lot about who wrote or edited it.

yeah totally. People writing an anonymous letter would NEVER make these mistakes on purpose...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A rebellion is brewing at the Board. This time from the judges. They're accusing the Chairman of mismanaging the Board to such an extent that its severely harming military veterans.

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

Hard to feel too much sorrow for the VLJs here. They've got a point, but attorneys have been working under such a quota system for nearly 20 years now. Many (though not all) VLJs were unsympathetic to attorney concerns and didn't push back against management's attempts to increase the quota back then. Now they're feeling the same pressure? Welcome to unpaid overtime, just like attorneys have been doing for years and years. Or they could go back to being decision-drafting attorneys, if being a VLJ is too hard.

The VLJs at least interact with the veterans unlike the attorney layabouts copy pasting approvals in their ice cream stained beaters. Their complaints will be taken seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A rebellion is brewing at the Board. This time from the judges. They're accusing the Chairman of mismanaging the Board to such an extent that its severely harming military veterans.

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

Hard to feel too much sorrow for the VLJs here. They've got a point, but attorneys have been working under such a quota system for nearly 20 years now. Many (though not all) VLJs were unsympathetic to attorney concerns and didn't push back against management's attempts to increase the quota back then. Now they're feeling the same pressure? Welcome to unpaid overtime, just like attorneys have been doing for years and years. Or they could go back to being decision-drafting attorneys, if being a VLJ is too hard.

The VLJs at least interact with the veterans unlike the attorney layabouts copy pasting approvals in their ice cream stained beaters. Their complaints will be taken seriously.

Yours must be a life well-lived.
Kind words, kind heart, human kindness.
No doubt your family, neighbors, co-workers, and...uhm...friends...enjoy your company.
That's a REAL success.
Congrats!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A rebellion is brewing at the Board. This time from the judges. They're accusing the Chairman of mismanaging the Board to such an extent that its severely harming military veterans.

https://cck-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concerned-Judges-Letter_final1_stripped.pdf

Hard to feel too much sorrow for the VLJs here. They've got a point, but attorneys have been working under such a quota system for nearly 20 years now. Many (though not all) VLJs were unsympathetic to attorney concerns and didn't push back against management's attempts to increase the quota back then. Now they're feeling the same pressure? Welcome to unpaid overtime, just like attorneys have been doing for years and years. Or they could go back to being decision-drafting attorneys, if being a VLJ is too hard.

The VLJs at least interact with the veterans unlike the attorney layabouts copy pasting approvals in their ice cream stained beaters. Their complaints will be taken seriously.

BVA attorneys aren't layabouts. They're hardworking people who copy and paste very important boilerplate language into three form decisions a week. Their jobs are so vital to the American people that during the Dec. 2018 to Jan. 2019 government shutdown, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) designated BVA attorneys as "essential workers." The entire cadre of BVA attorneys worked nonstop during the shutdown alongside other VA essential workers, such as VA police and maintenance workers, to serve the American people.