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Whether you have parents or grandparents who do not have a will, or because of a change in their circumstance they need to update the legal document, Chapman University’s Elder Law Clinic may be able to help. The center, which recently expanded its program through a grant, offers free legal services to low-income elderly adults. Among its most popular requests is the drafting of wills. Founded in 2000, the center was previously housed in a small office on the third floor of the Law School. It recently relocated into a newly renovated and retrofitted site on Glassell Avenue, allowing it to expand services for older citizens in need. “If you look at the census data, you see that the number of low-income seniors in Orange County is huge. And the number of (services) that charge little or no money is tiny. So there’s a huge need for this kind of work,” says Professor Kurt Eggert, director of clinical legal education. Led by Eggert and staffed by second- and third-year Chapman law students, the group works with clients to ensure that their end-of-life wishes will be observed. Elderly clients, for example, can receive legal assistance with such issues as wills and durable power of attorneys. They can also receive legal consultation with mortgages and government benefits. Currently, cases are referred to the law school by two main agencies: the Public Law Center and the Legal Aid Society of Orange County. The clinic, which last year began representing victims of physical and financial elder abuse in obtaining protection against their abusers, also works closely with representatives from Adult Protective Services and other similar agencies. “We have three primary goals,” says Eggert. “One is to give expert legal help to low-income seniors who need it. Another part of our mission is to teach our students how to be good and ethical lawyers. And the third part of our mission is to teach law students the joys and value of pro-bono (work) so once they get out they’ll also want to give free legal services to people who need it. And they will know how to do that.” To be adequately prepared for end-of-life requests, Eggert recommends having two main legal documents in place. One, individuals should have a will or another directive that distributes their assets; and second, an advanced healthcare directive to guide their relatives should they no longer be able to make their own decisions. Sandy Bennett is associate editor. |
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