MY Career in VETERANS (VA) BENEFITS law

Amy Kretkowski has dedicated her entire legal career to helping veterans obtain the VA benefits they have earned through their service to our country. She started her career in veterans benefits law as a judicial law clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) in Washington, DC, which has exclusive jurisdiction over final decisions from the Board of Veterans' Appeals. 

Since 2011, Attorney Kretkowski has successfully represented hundreds of veterans and their survivors in their appeals for VA disability and pension benefits at VA regional offices across the country, at the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and at the CAVC. She also trains Veterans Service Officers in the effective advocacy of veterans and mentors attorneys across the country who are representing veterans at the CAVC through the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.  

In Fall 2015, Attorney Kretkowski began teaching an upper-level course in Veterans Benefits Law at the University of Iowa College of Law. She is endlessly inspired by her clients and students - and is honored to serve veterans and to help train the next generation of effective veterans' advocates.  

EXPERIENCE

• Veterans Law Attorney, Iowa City, IA (2011-present)

• Adjunct Professor, Veterans Benefits Law, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, IA (2015-present)

• Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Washington, DC (2009-2011)
   

ADMISSIONS AND CERTIFICATES

• State of Iowa (2010)

• U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (2010)

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2022)

• Accredited Attorney Representative, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2011)
   

AWARDS

• National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, Pro Bono Advocate of the Year, 2022

• The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, Chairman’s Award, 2021

MEMBERSHIPS

• Iowa Access to Justice Commission, Veterans Work Group Co-Chair (2016-2019)

• The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, mentoring attorney (2012-present)

• U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Rules Advisory Committee (2011-2022)

• National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, Sustaining Member (2011-present)

• Iowa State Bar Association, Military Affairs Committee (2011-present)
   

PRESENTATIONS/TRAININGS/PUBLICATIONS

• Iowa Association of County Commissioners of Veterans Affairs, annual training (2018-present)

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023 Conferences, "Recent Court Cases … and how to use them”

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Spring 2021 Conference, "Ethical Concerns Facing VA Practitioners” (March 2021, virtual)

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Fall 2019 Conference, "Fee Agreements Under the AMA” (September 2019)

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Spring 2019 Conference, "How To Get Your Client’s Condition Service Connected” (March 2019)

• County Veterans Service Officers Association of Wisconsin, Spring Training (May 2018)

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Spring 2018 Conference, "Establishing Entitlement to Secondary Service Connection" (March 2018)

• University of Missouri School of Law, 2017 Veterans Clinic Symposium, "Modern Warfare," panel presentation on "Environmental Challenges: Burn Pits" (November 2017)

• National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Fall Conference, "Analyzing Board Decisions" (October 2017)

• County Veterans Service Officers Association of Wisconsin, Fall Training (September 2017)

• Iowa Association of County Commissioners of Veterans Affairs, annual training (April 2017)

• Illinois Association of County Veterans Assistance Commission, annual training (October 2016)

• Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers, annual training (September 2016)

• USCAVC’s 13th Annual Judicial Conference, Moderator: “Exposing Exposure Issues” (2016)

• National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, annual training (2015-2017)

• Iowa Association of County Commissioners and VSOs, District 1, annual meeting (2014-2016)

• Professional Veterans Advocates of North Dakota, annual training (2015)

• Iowa Legal Aid, “Advocating for Veterans Before the VA” CLE (2012, 2015)

• Stand Down, Cedar Rapids, “Establishing Entitlement to Service Connection” workshop (2012-2016)

• National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, Fall 2013 Conference, “Introduction to the USCAVC”

• Iowa Association for Justice, “Top Ten Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Representing Veterans” (2012)

• Iowa City Shelter House, monthly veterans’ legal clinic (2011-present)

• Drafted VA disability compensation CLE materials for NOVA (2012)

• Drafted Veterans Benefits chapter of ISBA’s Elder Law Handbook (2011)
   

EDUCATION

• JD, with distinction, University of Iowa College of Law (2008)

• BFA, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (1988)