Anthony Hayes, a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough, L.L.P., in Columbia, S.C., started the Wills for Heroes (WFH) program shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Since November 2001, the charitable 501(c) (3) program has provided more than 15,000 estate planning documents nationwide. Attorneys Anthony Hayes and Jeffrey Jacobson oversee the Wills for Heroes Foundation.

In October 2008, the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) hosted Louisiana’s first Wills for Heroes event in Lake Charles for the Calcasieu Parish Fire Department. Since that time, the YLD has continued to host events for Louisiana first responders, including firemen, police officers, sheriffs’ deputies and state troopers.

Since Louisiana Wills for Heroes adheres to the WFH Foundation, the LSBA YLD purchased computer equipment, which is used exclusively for the Louisiana WFH program and is used at all events around the state. The WFH program provides first responders and their spouses with attorney volunteers to assist in preparing wills and other estate planning documents at no charge. Those eligible include:

• Police officers
• Firefighters
• EMTs and paramedics
• Corrections officers
• Spouses or widow/widowers of such personnel

To support emergency personnel in our community who are prepared to pay the ultimate price in the line of duty, the Wills for Heroes program provides first responders with the peace of mind of knowing their affairs are in order should the unthinkable occur. This program is designed to provide free legal services to first responders in preparation of basic estate planning documents. First responders include police officers, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, corrections officers, and the spouses or widow/widowers of such personnel.

To serve first responders, a group of attorney volunteers will go to emergency service sites across Louisiana and set up a clinic, at which time the attorney volunteers will draft basic wills, powers of attorney and health care directives for eligible first responders and their spouses. In advance of the meeting, first responders will download documents from this site to be completed prior to their clinic appointment. Reviewing and completing these documents before the clinic is a successful component because it affords the first responder the opportunity and time to think through very important decisions and discuss them with trusted advisors and family and gets them fully prepared before their scheduled appointment.

With laptops and portable printers, a group of attorney volunteers will arrive at the location (police station, fire station, etc.) and work with each first responder to discuss his/her matter in a confidential manner. The participants and attorneys will review their completed questionnaire. Simultaneously, a paralegal, law student or other support staff member will sit next to the attorney and enter the information into the laptop. Once the questionnaire has been reviewed and the process explained, the will, power of attorney and health care directive will be generated. The attorneys will review the entire document with the participants to ensure they fully understand what they are executing. After the document is explained, and any corrections made, the will, power of attorney and health care directive will be executed and notarized. The goal is to complete the entire process in one meeting.

The goal of the Wills for Heroes program is to provide free wills for first responders (police officers, EMS and fire fighters). Several other states, through their young lawyers, have adopted the program with great success. The person(s) who chair this committee have the responsibility of implementing this program across Louisiana this year.

For more information on the Public Service/Wills For Heroes Committee of the Louisiana State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, please click here.