**§20.606 Rule 606. Legal interns, law students and paralegals.**

\(a\) *Consent of appellant*. If it is contemplated that a legal intern,
law student, or paralegal will assist in the appeal, written consent
must be obtained from the appellant. The written consent must include
the name of the veteran; the name of the appellant if other than the
veteran (e.g., a veteran's survivor, a guardian, or a fiduciary
appointed to receive VA benefits on an individual's behalf); the
applicable Department of Veterans Affairs file number; the name of the
attorney-at-law; the consent of the appellant for the use of the
services of legal interns, law students, or paralegals and for such
individuals to have access to applicable Department of Veterans Affairs
records; and the names of the legal interns, law students, or paralegals
who will be assisting in the case. In the case of appeals before the
Board in Washington, DC, the signed consent must be submitted to:
Director, Administrative Service (014B), Board of Veterans' Appeals, 810
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420. In the case of appeals before
a Member or Members of the Board at Department of Veterans field
facilities, the consent must be presented to the presiding Member of the
hearing as noted in paragraph (d). Unless revoked by the appellant, such
consent will remain effective in the event the original attorney of
record is replaced by another attorney who is a member of the same law
firm or another attorney employed by the same legal services office.

\(b\) *Supervision*. Legal interns, law students and paralegals must be
under the direct supervision of a recognized attorney-at-law in order to
prepare and present cases before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

\(c\) *Hearings*. Legal interns, law students and paralegals who desire
to participate at a hearing before the Board in Washington, DC, must
make advance arrangements with the Director of the Administrative
Service and submit written authorization from the attorney naming the
individual who will be participating in the hearing. In the case of
hearings before a Member or Members of the Board in the field, the
attorney-at-law not less than 10 days prior to the scheduled hearing
date must inform the office of the Department of Veterans Affairs
official who gave notice of the Travel Board hearing date and time that
the services of a legal intern, law student, or paralegal will be used
at the hearing. At the same time, a prehearing conference with the
presiding Member of the hearing must be requested. At the conference,
the written consent of the appellant for the use of the services of such
an individual required by paragraph (a) must be presented and agreement
reached as to the individual's role in the hearing. Legal interns, law
students or paralegals may not present oral arguments at hearings either
in the field or in Washington, DC, unless the recognized attorney-at-law
is present. Not more than two such individuals may make presentations at
a hearing. The presiding Member at a hearing on appeal may require that
not more than one such individual participate in the examination of any
one witness or impose other reasonable limitations to ensure orderly
conduct of the hearing.

\(d\) *Withdrawal of permission for legal interns, law students, and
paralegals to assist in the presentation of an appeal*. When properly
designated, the attorney-at-law is the recognized representative of the
appellant and is responsible for ensuring that an appeal is properly
presented. Legal interns, law students, and paralegals are permitted to
assist in the presentation of an appeal as a courtesy to the
attorney-at-law. Permission for a legal intern, law student, or
paralegal to prepare and present cases before the Board may be withdrawn
by the Chairman or presiding Member at any time if a lack of competence,
unprofessional conduct, or interference with the appellate process is
demonstrated by that individual. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5904, 7105(b)(2))

\[57 FR 4109, Feb. 3, 1992, as amended at 61 FR 20450, May 7, 1996; 61
FR 29028, June 7, 1996\]

**Supplement *Highlights* references**: 14(3), 15(8).