Faculty Spotlight: Zach Baumgarten

Zach Baumgarten leads the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he also directs the law school’s pro bono programs. A veteran, advocate, and Bowen graduate, Baumgarten has dedicated his legal career to serving those who served.

Baumgarten began his professional journey in Washington, D.C., working as a congressional staffer for Representative Mike Ross. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman, deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following his service, he returned to Arkansas to pursue dual graduate degrees at the Clinton School of Public Service and Bowen Law.

Before joining the Bowen faculty, Baumgarten worked at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, where he practiced VA law, estate planning, and criminal record sealing. He also served as the outreach coordinator and special projects attorney. He is the past chair of the Veterans Section of the Arkansas Bar Association and serves on the boards of Arkansas Appleseed and Friends of Fisher House Arkansas.

At Bowen, Baumgarten teaches the Veterans Legal Services Clinic and focuses his research on veterans law and legal aid for underserved populations. Recently, he secured a grant from Arkansas Access to Justice to help seal criminal records for veterans who have successfully completed Veterans Treatment Court. He also organizes public education events and CLEs to empower attorneys to take on veterans’ legal cases.

“I was drawn to Bowen because we are the only law school in the state offering free legal services to the more than 200,000 veterans in Arkansas,” Baumgarten says. “Helping people who often have nowhere else to go—that’s what makes this work matter.”

When not in the classroom or courtroom, Baumgarten and his spouse volunteer as foster parents for the Little Rock Animal Village, having cared for nearly 20 kittens over the past year.

Baumgarten holds a B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service, and a J.D. from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.