Registration is now open! To view the conference brochure, click HERE.
The NOVA 2024 Spring Conference will be held in Washington, DC, and will be a fully in-person event.
We have an exciting program designed for both new and experienced veterans law practitioners! Increase your knowledge, confidence, and expertise in representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition, your time may be credited to your jurisdiction’s CLE requirements. We hope you join us!
We will host our General Session and Exhibits on Thursday & Friday (3/7 & 3/8). The reception will be held on Thursday evening, and we will host a speaker Q&A session at the end of the day on Friday.
Our Workshop Session will be held on Saturday, 3/9. Lunch will be provided. Attendees will attend 4 sessions, and will be required to rank the sessions in their order of preference after registration. A personalized schedule of your session assignments will be sent to you prior to the conference. Because these sessions are designed for small groups, there will be ample opportunity for questions/discussion with the presenters and your fellow attendees.
Conference Videos: Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase conference videos at the time of registration for the discounted rate of $50. NOVA does not record guest speakers or the Saturday workshop sessions, so videos of those sessions will NOT be included. Please be sure to purchase the registration ticket plus videos option when registering. Please note that the videos will be sent to the email with which you registered for the event, a few weeks following the conference.
Cancelation Policies: Please note our registration cancelation policies:
Registration Cancelation Policy:
- Before February 3, 2024 - 75% of fee paid will be returned
- Beginning February 3 through February 21, 2024 - 50% of fee paid will be returned
- On or After February 22, 2024 - No Refund (seminar materials will be provided)
Social Committee Events: Please watch for announcements from the social committee over the coming weeks. They plan to host a self-pay "meet & greet" happy hour on Wednesday evening before the conference at the hotel lobby bar from 5-7 pm to provide first time attendees the opportunity to meet other first time attendees and members before the conference starts. The committee is working on plans to host an outing as well as dine-around groups at local DC restaurants.
On-site Reminders: NOVA negotiates free Wi-Fi for attendees at our conferences as a courtesy. The Wi-Fi that is provided free of charge only includes bandwidth for basic internet browsing and the ability to check email. It is NOT enough bandwidth for downloading conference materials onsite, using a VPN connection, or streaming videos during the conference. We ask that attendees be mindful of the limitations of the free Wi-Fi onsite and be sure to download your conference materials before arriving.
NOVA also works with the hotel and Pelican Productions to supply power strips to attendees. The power strips are scattered throughout the meeting space for attendees use. We ask that you arrive to the meeting room with fully charged devices. Please DO NOT move the power strip closer to your seat as they are placed so that multiple seats will have access to the strip. Finally, we will not provide power strips for the Workshop Sessions on Saturday - please plan accordingly.
Finally, the temperature in hotel ballrooms tends to fluctuate throughout the day and can go from hot to cold (and back again) quickly. Please plan accordingly and dress in layers so you can adjust to the fluctuating temperatures.
Hotel: Capital Hilton
1001 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20036
Our room block at the Capital Hilton is now closed.
The Capital Hilton is a monumental hotel in the heart of our nation's capital, 2 blocks away from the White House and less than a mile from the McPherson Square metro station. The National Mall, Georgetown, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum are within 2 miles.
If you still need a hotel, here are some nearby properties within a quick walk:
- Club Quarters Hotels DC - 0.29 miles
- Hotel Washington - 0.17 miles
- Hyatt Place Washington, DC/White House - 0.33 miles
If you would like to be placed on a waiting list in the event of room cancellations, please contact Stacie Lemick at slemick@vetadvocates.org
To register, simply choose which session(s) you'd like to attend below, and click "Purchase Tickets" - you will then be asked to provide some basic attendee information. Please complete this information carefully.
Other Registration Information:
- Please note that the student registration rate is reserved for active full-time law students. If you possess a Law School/Student NOVA Membership as a Law Professor, please register under the NOVA Member Rate.
- When completing your registration, please do so as you would like your name badge at the conference to read. We will also use the information provided on your registration to compile our list of seminar attendees that is distributed with conference materials. We do not use your NOVA member profile information.
- Please provide a unique email address for each attendee that is their own email, not that of their organization or staff. The email provided on the registration form will be used for all conference communication, including materials and CLE, and we want to ensure proper receipt.
- Please make sure to contact NOVA staff if you have any disability requiring special accommodation or assistance. We want our attendees to be as comfortable as possible.
Multi Registration Discount:
Organizations that register two or more individuals at the same time can apply the multi-registration discount. The discount is 10% off your final amount, or each registration. *Please note this discount does not apply to single registrations and can only be used if registering from the same firm at the same time.*
Discount Code: CHERRYBLOSSOMS
Multi Registration Discount:
Organizations that register two or more individuals at the same time can apply the multi-registration discount. To apply the code, please click "Click here to enter your promotional code" when selecting your tickets, before clicking purchase tickets.
The discount is 10% off your final amount, or each registration. *Please note this discount does not apply to single registrations and can only be used if registering from the same firm at the same time.*
Discount Code: CHERRYBLOSSOMS
About 1 week before the conference, you will receive an email (to the email with which you registered) with a link to download the seminar materials.
You must log in to sharefile with the email with which you registered for the event in order to view the folder shared with you.
You must download the files and then open all PDF's with an adobe acrobat PDF reader, and find and click on the paperclip icon, in order to access any attachments such as speaker bios and exhibits.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Requirements: NOVA conferences are usually fully accepted for CLE purposes. We pre-apply for approval to states in which we have a certain number of attendees seeking credit. If we do not pre-apply, we provide the state application form for you to submit on your own along with your certificate of attendance.
NOVA uses sign-in sheets each day to record your attendance. We want to remind you that all CLE procedures, including requiring attendees to sign in, are based on the rules and regulations put forward by various state bars. NOVA is required to follow such rules. While they do vary state to state, accurately signing in to prove your attendance at either a virtual or in-person event is required by every jurisdiction that monitors CLE. As such, please do not sign in for any sessions you haven’t attended. If you leave early, please note as such on the sign-in form. If you fail to properly sign in, we cannot process your CLE credits.
At the conclusion of the conference, NOVA staff will calculate your CLE credit hours based on whether you signed in at the registration desk each morning. Then, approximately two weeks after the conference you will receive an email with necessary forms and other supplemental materials that you will then have to submit to your state bar or the VA. NOVA does not submit your hours on your behalf.
Any questions regarding CLE, please contact Katy Whalen.
Thank you for your interest in exhibiting at the NOVA 2024 Spring Conference in Washington, DC!
If you have not exhibited at NOVA previously and would like to apply to exhibit at the Spring conference, please click HERE. Once we receive and review your application, NOVA staff will contact you with additional information.
NOVA Exhibit Information
Exhibit dates:
Thursday and Friday, March 7 & 8, 2024 from 7am-5pm
Cost:
- Registration and payment received BY COB on Friday, February 2, 2024:
One (1) 6-foot draped table and two (2) chairs: $1,300Two (2) 6-foot draped table and four (4) chairs: $1,600
- Registration and payment received AFTER Friday, February 2, 2024:
One (1) 6-foot draped table and two (2) chairs: $1,500Two (2) 6-foot draped table and four (4) chairs: $1,800
The Spring 2024 Conference will be an in-person only event! Our estimated attendance is expected to be between 300-350 attendees.
The spring conference will be held at the Capital Hilton. We ask that you only book ONE room per attendee. If you need to book multiple rooms for your firm, please be sure to assign every room to a unique attendee who is registered to attend the conference. If you book multiple rooms under one name, we will CANCEL any additional rooms immediately!
NOVA Sponsorship Opportunities
We are eager to work with you and help you publicize the resources you have available more effectively. By sponsoring one of the following events/items we offer at a NOVA Conference, your brand is sure to capture the attention of our attendees.
Reception Sponsor: $TBDSOLD OUTWelcome Bag Sponsor: $5,000SOLD OUTName Badge Sponsor: $3,500SOLD OUT- Breakfast Sponsor : $3,500 (2 available Thursday or Saturday)
Afternoon Break Sponsor: $2,000 (2 available)SOLD OUT
Our Welcome Bag sponsor will provide NOVA with an agreed upon, pre-assembled customized welcome bag and insert(s) for all attendees. The sponsor will be available during Thursday morning registration to hand out bags to attendees. The sponsor will be recognized on the bag, in the slideshow, and thanked in our daily announcements.
Our Name Badge sponsor will be recognized in the slideshow, on the back of all attendee name badges, and thanked in our daily announcements.
Our Breakfast sponsor(s) will ensure that our attendees receive an enhanced breakfast and will be recognized in the slideshow, on signage in the breakfast area during their sponsored breakfast, and thanked in our daily announcements. We have 3 Breakfast sponsorships available.
Our Afternoon Break sponsor(s) will ensure that our attendees receive cookies or a similar enhancement to the afternoon coffee break. They will be recognized in the slideshow, on signage in the afternoon break area during their sponsored break, and thanked in our daily announcements. We have 2 Afternoon break sponsorships available.
Scholarships have been created in memory of NOVA Founding Member William G. Smith, Esq., who provided leadership and support to countless practitioners in veterans law. Scholarships cover the cost of registration only and are available to individuals who are not financially able to attend, and who would not otherwise be able to attend the seminar due to financial hardship. These scholarships are designated for attorneys, non-attorney practitioners, law students, and also accredited veteran’s service representatives.
To apply for the William G. Smith Scholarship, the following information is required: your name, address, and email; year of graduation from law school, if applicable; current employer and position; a brief explanation of how you intend to use this training; and your VA accreditation date, if applicable. You must also explain why you need financial assistance to attend a NOVA conference, and indicate if you have the financial resources to cover the related expenses of attendance (i.e., travel, lodging, food) should you be awarded a scholarship.
The scholarship application for the spring conference is closed.
The social committee is pleased to announce they are hosting a DC Monuments & Memorials Night Tour on Thursday, March 7, from 7:30-9:30pm. This event is after the NOVA reception.
Ride a luxury mini-coach past major landmarks on this night bus tour of Washington DC. Gaze at floodlit memorials and monuments, such as the magnificent Lincoln Memorial and the glow of the Jefferson Memorial reflected in the Tidal Basin. After this sightseeing tour, you’ll understand why the nation’s capital is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities at night.
- Admire Washington DC’s major attractions and monuments floodlit at night
- Professional tour guide will hop off with you at each of the 9 stops and walk with you through each attraction
- Learn more as you listen to your guide’s informative commentary
- Washington DC night tour by state-of-the-art luxury tour bus
Price: $61 per person. The tickets are non-refundable.
Please note, the tour begins and ends at the US Navy Memorial Plaza, which is a 10 minute uber ride from the Capital Hilton. Attendees will be responsible for securing their own transportation to the meeting spot.
Space is limited and is first-come, first-served. Please register by Thursday, February 29th, so the committee has an accurate count!
Please register online HERE!
Questions: Please email Stacie Lemick at the NOVA office.
When
Location
- Washington, DC
