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Bar News - July 15, 2011 Bar Association Pitches in to Help Navy Reservists With Estate Plans
The effort, which took place at the US Navy Reserve Office in Londonderry, was the second time the NH Pro Bono Referral Program has organized a military pro bono estate-planning clinic for deploying service members this year. Nearly 50 New Hampshire lawyers and paralegals volunteered in January to assist 123 Marine reservists preparing for imminent deployment to Afghanistan. In June, four members of the NH Bar gave up their Sunday to counsel and prepare wills and trust instruments for 11 Navy reservists heading overseas. As with the earlier clinic, also held in Londonderry, the attorneys brought their own computers, forms and printers to the training facility. These clinics enabled the service members to expeditiously prepare wills and powers of attorney to arrange their affairs before they begin combat duty. The civilian volunteers treat their pro bono clients as they would their private clients, providing individualized service in one-on-counseling, said Virginia A. Martin, assistant executive director of legal services. Many of the service members do not have wills or other documents and haven’t even thought about these issues. The advice the lawyers typically provide in these clinics include helping their clients decide who they should entrust with their powers of attorney. "We were asked to help and we gladly stepped up to the challenge. It’s the least we can do for the members of our armed services that sacrifice so much," said Pro Bono Referral Program Assistant Coordinator Chantell Wheeler. |
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