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Wills for Heroes Sees Continued Success in Chapel Hill

Article Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Volunteer attorneys assist law enforcement officer, left, with estate planning documents.

An enourmously successful Wills for Heroes event was held Saturday, April 24, at East Chapel Hill High School. Fifty-seven volunteer attorneys prepared some 220 free estate planning documents for 74 first responders and their spouses.

The Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association has now conducted 14 Wills for Heroes programs since the fall of 2007. Each time the program is held, the turnout is overwhelming and the participants are greatly appreciative of the pro bono service being rendered.

“The event on Saturday was a great success,” said Matthew Sullivan, police legal advisor for the Chapel Hill Police Department and a member of the NCBA who helped organize the event. “I am already receiving all kinds of wonderful feedback from the first responders who came out.”

As a former police officer and police social worker, Sullivan understands the life of a first responder from all angles.

Matthew Sullivan, police legal advisor.

“While first responders are out there busy taking care of other folks all the time, they don’t always have the documents to protect themselves and their families. This is a great way to make sure that they are taken care of and their families are taken care of in the event of an untimely disaster.”

In addition to an army of volunteer attorneys, paralegals, law students and notaries public, the Chapel Hill event was supported by the respective unions of the police and fire departments. The unions recruited participants and provided food and snacks for the volunteers.

“Wills for Heroes is a great way to give back to the community and provide service to folks who would not necessarily think about getting this service on their own,” Sullivan added in regard to his perspective as a lawyer. “From the perspective of a police officer, firefighter or EMT, this is one of the most important documents we can give them.”

Susan Finch and Jake Epstein are serving as co-chairs of the YLD Wills for Heroes Committee this year.