The Wills for Heroes Program provides free estate planning services to veterans, spouses of veterans, active duty military, those serving in the National Guard, and reservists.
In the summers of 2015 and 2016, the Civil Clinic facilitated an estate planning clinic at the Lincoln VA Medical Center where student attorneys offered basic estate planning services to qualifying veterans. The services included the drafting of a simple will, a power of attorney instrument, a living will, and a health care power of attorney. Students also advised clients on general estate planning matters, including steps they can take to avoid probate. The event became known as the Wills for Heroes Program. At each event, student attorneys serviced 15 to 20 veterans in need.
After each event, the calls continued to come in from veterans in need of these services. To meet this demand, the program was converted from a one-day, once-a-year clinic to an on-going program incorporated into the Clinic’s caseload. Each semester, every student team enrolled in the Civil Clinic is given the opportunity to work with at least one veteran client seeking estate planning services.
Veterans and spouses of veterans are encouraged to contact the Clinic and register for the program. Veterans will be placed on a waiting list, and will be assigned to a student team as soon as the Clinic has an opening.