Joseph Zengerle's Schools

• University of Michigan Law School , Class of 1971 JD in Law The Law School provides an interdisciplinary approach to the law. Visit the link to the Dual Degree Programs to discover the breadth and depth of our thirteen established offerings, or learn about designing your own dual degree.

• US Military Academy at West Point Bachelors in Politics and American Studies and Government The curriculum at West Point is carefully designed to meet the needs of the Army for “officer-leaders of character to serve the Army and the Nation.” Our Goal for the Academic Program. Graduates anticipate and respond effectively to the uncertainties of a changing technological, social, political, and economic world.

Joseph Zengerle's Affiliations

• American Bar Association

• D.C. Bar Virginia Bar Association

• Leadership Greater Washington

Joseph Zengerle's Publications

• An Overview of the John Marshall Law School Veterans Legal Support Center and Clinic , Joseph Zengerle's Blog on Bigsight April, 2011 As the Executive Director for the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia, Joe Zengerle maintains several professional affiliations and has served numerous bodies in civic leadership and advisory capacities. He remains a member of the John Marshall Law School Veterans Legal Support Center and Clinic (VSLC) advisory body, which he joined after advising the creation of the institution in 2006. The VSLC was one of the first clinics in the U.S. functioning solely to provide legal assistance for veterans who request support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Several hundred thousand soldiers have returned to the U.S. from international deployments with significant physical damage and/or emotional impairments. These individuals, who have served their country with the highest level of commitment and honor, sometimes lack the necessary assistance to achieve compensation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VSLC works to help wounded soldiers who have no access to legal representation and might be unable to receive full benefits without the institution’s help. Many attorneys belong to the VSLC, and they work on a pro bono basis to provide U.S. veterans with complimentary counsel that will help them complete the claims process. Founded in September 2006 by three students, the VSLC officially opened its doors in the spring of 2007. All three of the founding young men are involved with the U.S. military in one way or another, and they recognized and fulfilled the need for a legal advocacy program for U.S. veterans. While the VSLC was originated to serve the needs of veterans who have not received claims through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, it has also provided an opportunity for law students to gain clinical training experience at the John Marshall Law School. Currently, the VSLC sponsors continuing legal education programs and veteran advocacy courses throughout Illinois.

• A Supportive Network of Family Members and Extended-Family Servicemembers By Joe Zengerle, Joe Zengerle's Blog on Bigsight May, 2011 By Joe Zengerle I have worked at the George Mason University School of Law in a number of capacities; currently, I serve as Executive Director of the Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers (CLAS). My service for the country extends back to my several years of active duty during the Vietnam War, including roles as Captain in the U.S. Army and a Special Assistant to General William Westmoreland during the Tet Offensive. My experience in providing tangible benefits to former servicemembers dates to the late 1970s, when I co-founded the Council of Vietnam Veterans. My family has sustained me these past 40 years, and I maintain a particularly strong relationship with my wife, Lynda, whom I married prior to leaving for Vietnam. After my military service, she encouraged me to pursue studies at the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor. I credit Lynda, now a partner with the prominent Washington, D.C., law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP, for my career in law. Family ties are very important to Lynda and me, and we are the proud parents of two successful sons. Our older son lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he works as a Senior Editor for The New Republic and a Contributing Editor for New York magazine. His wife, a physician who specializes in infectious diseases, is currently researching HIV/AIDS with a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health. They have two children, a four-year-old son and an eight-month-old daughter. Our younger son serves as Senior Program Manager of HSBC Bank’s Continental Europe region, and resides near Prague with his wife and four-year-old son. He speaks fluent Czech and was recently selected to join 80 employees from over 300,000 worldwide in the bank’s Next Generation Development Program. In many ways, I view the servicemembers and their families I have assisted over the years through CLAS as presenting concerns I have experienced with my own family. My observations about the treatment veterans received in society led me to dedicate time and effort on their behalf. My role with the Council of Vietnam Veterans led to my position as National Commander of the nonprofit organization, Disabled American Veterans. In 2004, two years after joining the George Mason University faculty, I established the Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers, an accomplishment I consider important.

• Swarthmore College Parents Council: Taking an Important Interest in Their Children’s Futures, Joseph Zengerle's Blog on Bigsight June, 2011 Washington metropolitan area resident Joseph Zengerle takes a dedicated interest in helping his community and supporting his family. At times, these commitments coincide, such as when Joseph Zengerle co-chaired the Parents Council at Swarthmore College. Appointed by the President of Swarthmore to the post, Joseph Zengerle served in the capacity for two years, during which he organized fund-raising events and college functions. A military veteran and trained lawyer, Joseph Zengerle currently teaches at George Mason University School of Law, where his community engagements include directing the Clinic for Legal Assistance to Service members and providing free legal help to active duty U.S. Armed Forces members and their families. The Goals and Activities of Swarthmore College Parents Council: Consisting of parents and guardians appointed by Swarthmore College officials, the Parents Council oversees three major responsibilities at the school. First of which, council members meet biannually with delegates of Swarthmore’s administration to discuss issues and provide feedback. During these meetings, the Parents Council also plans parent-focused programs and activities. A second objective of the Parents Council involves fund-raising and supporting the Parents Fund, a Swarthmore College charitable initiative. Council members donate annually to the Parents Council and encourage other Swarthmore parents to do the same. Finally, the Parents Council operates as an important resource for the parents of students if they have questions or concerns. Council members contact the parents of newly enrolled students to welcome them to the Swarthmore family and on occasion host social events with the College’s administrators, faculty, and alumni.

• Support for Veterans via the National Center for PTSD July, 2011 By Joseph Zengerle Earlier in my legal career, I served as counsel for a decorated Vietnam veteran in a case that would eventually establish national guidelines for veterans and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans today have access to many resources that didn’t exist a few years ago. Assistance for post-traumatic stress disorder is offered through the National Center for PTSD, now one of the best research and treatment centers on the disorder in the world. Created in 1989 as a part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Center for PTSD arose out of Congressional mandate PL 98-528. After conducting initial research into how best to meet the research needs of service-members, Veterans Affairs decided that PTSD warranted a separate institution within the department. The National Center for PTSD was established with five divisions and has subsequently added two others, for a total of seven: Executive, Behavioral Science, Dissemination and Training, Pacific Islands, Clinical Neurosciences, Women’s Health Sciences, and Evaluation. The National Center for PTSD conducts research, provides clinical care, and offers educational programs for veterans suffering from PTSD or other trauma-related disorders. The facility has grown into one of the leading PTSD centers in the world, led by a staff of well-respected scientists and clinicians and the source of a sizable body of original research on the disorder. A multidisciplinary institution, the National Center for PTSD strives to bring research into practice as quickly as possible through interaction between its separate divisions. Another major aspect of the Center’s mandate is education. Unfortunately, many service-members and their families fail to understand the nature of PTSD or its repercussions. The Center works to disseminate this information as widely as possible, through educational activities in Veterans Affairs, lobbying of policymakers, and counseling services for veterans and their families. About Joseph Zengerle : An accomplished legal professional and the Executive Director of the George Mason University School of Law, Joseph Zengerle has focused a significant part of his legal career on veteran’s and servicemember’s issues, pro bono work, and nonprofit organizations. He is also a proud family man: his wife is a partner in a large Washington law firm and his children have gone on to prominent positions in media and finance.

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