Volunteer Lawyers Prepare Wills for Heroes

NORRISTOWN, PA (April, 1, 2011) On Saturday, March 26th, 33 area attorneys and over a dozen non-attorney legal professionals donated their time and services at the Human Service Center in Norristown, PA (1430 DeKalb St.) for a special Wills for Heroes event.  Wills for Heroes, supported locally by members of the Montgomery and Bucks County Bar Associations, is part of an innovative statewide pro bono effort led by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (Young Lawyers Section) and national effort led by the American Bar Association.  The program provides Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives to first responders so that their families will be protected in the event of a tragedy.  At the conclusion of their one-hour appointments in Norristown, 60 notarized, legal documents were prepared for members of the Norristown Police Department, local firefighters and other area first responders.

According to Michael F. Rogers, Esq, a Blue Bell attorney and officer of the Montgomery Bar Association, “It is truly a great program.  It's not “one size fits all" - the program makes the effort to assure that the documents provided to each person are appropriate for that person's circumstances.”

Regional Wills for Heroes coordinator Lisa Shearman, Esq. adds “The site was perfect.  We had the help of Officer Robert Langdon, Officer Brian Saxon, Fire Chief Thomas O’Donnell and our very own Register of Wills, D. Bruce Hanes, Esq. on- hand to run the event.” 

Information about upcoming Pennsylvania Wills for Heroes events can be found at the PBA website:  http://www.pabar.org/public/yld/Projects/willsforheroesyld.asp or at the Wills for Heroes website:  www.willsforheroes.org.  Anyone interested in volunteering for upcoming events in Pennsylvania should contact Lisa Shearman, Esq. at 215-576-1730 or at las@plotnickellis.com.

Pictured left: Attorneys Rosalind Karlin and Jill Hammill prepare legal documents for Sgt. John Keefer (Ambler) and wife Veronica Keefer.

About the Montgomery Bar Association...
Established in 1885 to professionalize the county’s practice of law, the Montgomery Bar Association (MBA) is one of our nation’s oldest and most respected bar associations, representing over 2,100 legal professionals in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  Now, as then, the MBA exists to uphold legal and ethical standards in our legal community.  As the 3rd largest Bar in Pennsylvania, the MBA has a longstanding tradition of service to its membership and the community.   For members, the MBA offers an important arena for networking, professional development and education.  For the community, the MBA serves as a legal resource offering education, legal assistance and funds and resources for individuals and agencies in need.  The Association is actively engaged in public service through community outreach, free educational events offered throughout the year, programs like the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project, the Mock Trial Competitions for high-school students, and more.  For more information on the Montgomery Bar Association, visit www.montgomerybar.org.