Wills for Heroes: This program involved preparation of simple wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives for police and firefighters in Anne Arundel County.  For my part I trained ten lawyers from the Young Lawyers Association in the basic concepts of estate planning and answered any “hard questions” that our clients might have.  A generous donation of software from LexisNexis (http://www.lexisnexis.com/) helped speed our clients through the process.  We did not provide tax planning for the first responders, but provided a basic estate plan for our public servants.  Most of all, I was impressed by their awareness of the need to name a Guardian for the children as they stand in harm’s way every day they put their uniform on to ensure our safety and well being.

Legal Services for the Elderly: My involvement with this program is to take on an elderly client and handle an elder law issue for them.  Often the solution is quite easy, but this group is so susceptible to scare tactics and scams.  They are an appreciative group making the work very rewarding.

Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts: My involvement here is to take on clients who have substantial art collections.  I work to preserve the collection after the client’s death or sell the art to fund charitable causes usually involving the arts.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School: I sit on the board that oversees the business part of the church and school.  Although my official title is that of executive vice-president for finance, my duties are closer to that of a corporate attorney.  I answer the questions of: “What is the organization’s liability for that action?”, “Can you review this contract?”, and “How does our tax-exempt status affect our ability to carry on this activity?”.   This position allows me to support an organization that is doing a great deal to improve the lives of its members, school students, and community.

As an attorney, my job is to educate clients on all the options available so they can make their wishes known to their family. The key to this process is a family discussion on difficult issues.    In Veyman’s article, the family lost their will to fight before the patient did. You have to wonder if the patient had truly made his desires known to his family.  I cannot stress the importance of advance discussions so your wishes will be followed. I was recently quoted in a Financial Planning Association’s article on  “Making your Estate Plan Disaster Proof” on the importance of the estate planning process.    Sitting down with your family and discussing your values and choices is a key part of that process. Not only do you ensure that your wishes are follow, your leadership provides a positive example for your family to follow.