Headshot of Antoinette Naddour

Antoinette Naddour

  • Hosted by Public Law Center of Orange County
  • Sponsored by Corporation for National and Community Service
  • Service location Santa Ana, California
  • Law school Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
  • Issue area Veterans' Rights
  • Fellowship class year 2012
  • Program AmeriCorps Fellows Program, Design-Your-Own Fellowship

The Project

As an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellow in the Veterans Legal Corps program, Antoinette served at The Public Law Center, where she worked with current and former service members on legal issues related to housing and homelessness.

Fellowship Highlights

During her Fellowship, Antoinette:

  • Provided direct legal services to homeless and at risk veterans.
  • Coordinated and distributed hundreds of cases to pro bono attorneys.
  • Presented on veterans’ legal issues and operations at local and national conferences

What’s Next

Antoinette Naddour has a long-held passion to serve homeless and at-risk veterans and service members and has dedicated her career to that end. She was an officer with the California State Guard for over six years, served in the rank of Major as a Marketing Officer assigned to Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) as well as reserve JAG Officer assigned to Legal Support Command.

After her Equal Justice Works fellowship, Antoinette was assigned to lead Public Law Center’s veterans project, Operation Veterans Re-Entry, a new program dedicated to providing Orange County, California veterans and their families with free legal assistance to facilitate their re-entry into civilian life.

Antoinette went on to become Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Veterans Legal Institute® (VLI) in Santa Ana, California. VLI is among the few non-profit public interest law firms in the nation dedicated exclusively to the legal needs of current and former military members. VLI provides pro bono legal assistance to eradicate barriers to housing, education, employment, and healthcare and to foster self-sufficiency. As Executive Director, Antoinette oversees and has responsibility for the overall management of the firm including business development, outreach, public relations, marketing, strategic planning, and a light legal caseload.  VLI has been the proud host Equal Justice Works fellows, and Antoinette has been a frequent contributor to Fellow training at our annual LDT. She is a current member of the Equal Justice Works Alumni Advisory Council.

Media

Mighty 25: Antoninette Balta Champions Legal Defense for the Military Community

Taking Action Against Veteran Homelessness

Legal Veterans Institute: Helping Those Who Sacrificed For Us – Meet Antoinette Balta

Most Influential 2016: Antoinette Balta and Dwight Stirling founded Veterans Legal Institute

ABC7 Salutes Local Lawyers Who Offer Free Legal Help for Veterans

Serving Those Who Served: Fowler Law Alumna Provides Legal Aid to Veterans

Women of Coast

Do Military Veterans Get Property Tax Breaks in the U.S.?

Nonprofit Law Firm Goes to Battle for Hundreds of OC Veterans

Inaugural Women of Coast Event Honors Influencers

Veterans Legal Institute Sends Emergency Covid Masks To NYC Hospitals Hurt By Pandemic

A Legacy of Serving Our Nation’s Heroes

Equal Justice Works helped launch my career. I’ve been able to springboard from my Fellowship at the Public Law Center to my current role as Executive Director at the Veterans Legal Institute, which is the only veteran-specific pro bono public interest law firm in the nation.

Antoinette Naddour /
2012 Equal Justice Works Fellow

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