The VA does not let just anyone represent a veteran. Under 38 CFR § 14.629, only accredited attorneys, accredited claims agents, and recognized Veterans Service Organization representatives are authorized to prepare, present, and prosecute claims. Everyone else is operating outside the law.
The "coaching" loophole
A wave of unaccredited "claim consultants" and "coaches" charge large fees to tell you what to write while carefully never signing anything. They do this because they legally cannot represent you — and because it lets them dodge the fee rules that protect veterans.
How to protect yourself
Ask for the accreditation number and verify it on the VA's public accreditation search. An accredited agent's fees are regulated; a coach's are not. I am VA-Accredited Claims Agent #45147 — and that accountability is the entire point.
Your claim file is too important to hand to someone who cannot legally stand behind it.