Culminating a lifetime of hard work with thought devoted to creating a legacy can take years, sometimes decades. Easing that process for older Minnesotans is the mission of Legal Aid's Senior Wills Clinic.
For our clients 60 and older, "We remove the barrier of cost when it comes to making a will," says Pro Bono Project Manager Danielle Hendrickson, "which is huge for clients. It's one reason people put it off, but it's not the only reason." Client Judy Cobb explains why that's so.
Cobb says, "My daughter Paige and I give Legal Aid nothing but rave reviews, we were so impressed by how it was all handled." But Cobb confesses she was in that category of clients who feared intimidation. "I've known attorneys to be blunt. They want to get things done quickly because their time is so valuable. But the attorneys with Legal Aid were not like that. When I arrived, they started light. They made jokes and they were so positive. I hope more attorneys are like that. That's what I tell my granddaughter who is starting her first year of law school. I want her to be like the attorneys at Legal Aid."
Prior to the clinic meeting, Cobb says she was pleased to first have phone meetings with Paralegal Cate Cavalier. "She was so kind and called me at 5 p.m. to do intake well beyond her regular workday. I told her that she was going above and beyond. But she said, this was important."
Held the second Wednesday of the month at the Cora McCorvey Health and Wellness Center, the Wills Clinic helps seniors with asset allocation, power of attorney, health care directives and transfer on death deeds. Advised by Legal Aid's Senior Law Project, the Wills Clinic is staffed by Legal Aid's Pro Bono volunteer attorneys from Fredrikson, LLC and counsel from Target Corp.
"What I appreciate most about our Senior Wills Clinic is the ability to give people peace of mind when it comes to what will happen to their estate when they pass," says Pro Bono Supervisor and Attorney Danielle Hendrickson. "Many of our clients are dealing with health issues or nearing the ends of their lives and they feel so grateful and relieved to have this off their mind so they can focus on enjoying life."
To get started, prospective clients, 60 and older are encouraged to call our intake line at 612.334.5970. Tell them you're interested in the Senior Wills Clinic!
