Stephen Valentine

The North Carolina Central University Veterans Law Clinic is led by Stephen J. Valentine, who served in the active U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Reserves. Stephen is a graduate of Morehouse College, with a bachelor’s degree in political science, cum laude; he went on to earn his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was awarded the Samuel Sylvester Award for outstanding achievement and leadership. 

Stephen received his Juris Doctorate degree from the North Carolina Central University School of law after receiving the Bronze Star Medal for service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his military career, he attended the Army Medical Department Officer Basic and Advance Course at the Army Medical Department Center and School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was on the Commandant’s list and the recipient of the Colonel Richard Lynch Leadership Award.  

After law school Stephen served as a Presidential Management Fellow with the United States Department of State with assignment in the Political Military Bureau, and he served as a detailed special assistant United States attorney in the Criminal Division of the US Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia. He also served on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa with assignment to the office of Congressman Donald Payne (NJ-10).  

Later Stephen attended the Army Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course at the Army Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School at the University of Virginia, where he was awarded the Judge Advocate General’s Leadership Award. Later still, Stephen served in both Kuwait and Jordan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Stephen retired from the United States Army in 2017 with the rank of Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. 

Prior to being appointed as the director of the Veterans Law Clinic, Stephen served as an assistant professor in the undergraduate and graduate Social Work Department at North Carolina Central University. Stephen also serves on the Durham County Board of Commissioners and is a member of the Association of County Commissioners. 

Stephen is an accredited attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.