Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Names New Director

Outgoing director Professor Angela Drake will be retiring December 31

Officials at the University of Missouri School of Law are pleased to announce the hiring of Brent Filbert to join the faculty as the new director of the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic and associate clinical professor. Professor Filbert rejoins Mizzou Law after spending several years as a supervising attorney within the MU Veterans Clinic. In recent years, Professor Filbert has served as the director of Military Law at the Veteran Advocacy Project.

As the new director, he is replacing Clinic founder Angela Drake, who is retiring in December. Professor Drake will remain on the faculty until the end of the calendar year to help with the transition.

“I could not be more comfortable with my retirement in light of the fact that Brent Filbert is rejoining us,” Drake said. “Brent is by far the best candidate to lead the Clinic into the future. His high-level litigation background, including work in toxic torts, and his military service in the Navy JAG corps are only the beginning. Brent’s earlier work in the Clinic led to the growth of its substantive work (including discharge upgrades) and financial footing. Brent is a true son of Mizzou. His father Gary Filbert worked closely with Norm Stewart and was the founder of the Show Me Games. His children, like Brent, are University of Missouri alumni. I am excited to watch the Clinic grow to its next level under Brent’s leadership.”

Professor Filbert began work in Hulston Hall in April, just in time to help host the 2023 Veterans Clinic Symposium.

“Mizzou Law is thrilled to welcome back Professor Filbert to our faculty and Veterans Clinic,” Interim Dean Paul Litton said. “His trial and appellate experience is extraordinary, having served in the US Navy JAG Corps and as a partner at a major law firm. He has represented veterans for the past five years at our Clinic and as Military Law Director of the Veteran Advocacy Project. While it is impossible to replace Professor Drake, we know that our Clinic will continue to grow and flourish, providing outstanding support for students and clients, with Professor Filbert as director.”

Professor Filbert rejoins the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic after several years as a supervising attorney within the Clinic. He teaches Military Law and Law of Armed Conflict. He has spent the last 35 years serving as an attorney in the military and in private practice. He served as Appellate Defense Counsel and Judge for the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals.

He also served as a prosecutor and defense counsel in military criminal trials and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. Additionally, Prof. Filbert was the Director of Military Law at Veteran Advocacy Project, practiced as litigation counsel for Hughes, Hubbard & Reed, and was a Partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon as a litigation attorney on product liability and toxic tort cases.

Brent is an undergrad alumnus of Mizzou (with honors) and received his JD (with distinction) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He is also a distinguished graduate of the Naval War College – College of Naval Command and Staff and has an LLM in Trial Advocacy from Temple University School of Law. Professor Filbert joined the Veterans Clinic out of his desire to train law students on how to successfully represent clients by assisting veterans on critical legal issues.