Claire Hillan Sosa, Esq.
Deuterman Law Group https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairehillansosa/
About The Lecturer
Serving the public interest has always been important to attorney Claire Hillan Sosa. After working for the Department of Veterans Affairs, reviewing claims at the Board of Veterans Appeals, Claire was driven to transition to private practice, where she could have more of an impact.
Working at the VA, Claire often found herself frustrated by the bureaucracy and internal rules that limited how she could help injured and disabled veterans. As a VA Disability attorney, she’s able to use her legal skills, her firsthand knowledge of the VA’s systems and her deep understanding of the law to tirelessly advocate for her clients. The highlight of Claire’s work is always hearing from her clients that she’s brought them some relief and eased their burdens—be they emotional, mental, or financial.
Her husband is an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force. So veterans' issues are very important to her on a personal, as well as professional, level.
Claire, who grew up in New York City, received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science magna cum laude from CUNY Queens College. She earned a Master of Science and Juris Doctor summa cum laude from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Neb. She is a VA-accredited attorney and admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).
Beyond her normal duties as a Veterans Disability Attorney, Claire is a contributing author to the Veterans Law Journal, a publication of the CAVC Bar Association. She is a member of the D.C. Bar, the Federal Bar Association, and Military Spouse J.D. Network. She is also a member of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates (NOVA) and serves on the organization’s social committee. She is committed to policy and educational efforts to improve accessibility and equity in VA benefits.
After law school, she clerked for Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court and then federal district judge Joseph F. Bataillon before completing an impact-litigation fellowship in constitutional law. She then transitioned to her passion for helping veterans obtain the full benefits they deserve. In 2020, she worked as an Attorney Advisor at the Board of Veterans Appeals, drafting decisions for a Veterans Law Judge. She found the process lacked a human touch and left to provide more supportive, direct assistance to veterans.
Claire has presented or co-presented numerous CLE and additional training events over the years in topics such as legal writing for VA appeals, VA case development, Gulf War Illness, an in-depth review of all VA presumptions, initial VA file review, VA effective dates, navigating the VA’s M21-1 manual, and ABA’s 3-hour accreditation course on Veterans Benefits and VA Procedure.
In her free time, Claire enjoys hiking, yoga, and gardening. She lives in Hawaii with her husband, their young children, and two dogs.
Practice Area(s)
Veterans
Publications
Veterans Law Journal
Education
Creighton Law School, Juris Doctor summa cum laude
Creighton Law School, Master of Science in Government Organization and Leadership (with a focus on administrative law)
City University of New York-Queens College, BA, Political Science
