Thomas Kniffen

Adjunct Faculty

Thomas graduated Cum Laude from Boston College in 1975, earned a J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1979 and LL.M from the Washington School of Law, American University in 2012. Kniffen served on active and reserve duty as a Staff Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force from 1987 to 2009. He served on active duty during the First Gulf War and in the Pentagon from September 11, 2001 to March 2002. From 1999 to 2015, he worked as an Appellate Attorney for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs [VA], defending VA in connection with appeals from Veterans for VA disability benefits, and as Section Chief of a 12 person staff that drafted and published in the Federal Register regulations regarding VA disability benefits. After retiring from VA in 2015, Kniffen represented veterans in federal courts against VA for increased VA disability benefits.