The Pro Bono Committee worked with Legal Aid of North Carolina to assist low-income seniors who lack legal documents authorizing them to make certain medical decisions on behalf of family or friends.
Share:
Share this page on Facebook
Share this page on X (formerly Twitter)
Share this page on LinkedIn
Email this page to a friend
Print this page
By some estimates, only about one-third of adults have an estate plan that includes signed legal documents such as a will, living will, or health care power of attorney.
One reason? Expenses. For many older Americans with fixed incomes and modest means, the hundreds of dollars it costs to hire a lawyer is too much to bear.
Join Elon Law's Pro Bono Committee.
This fall, student volunteers from the Pro Bono Committee partnered with Legal Aid of North Carolina to conduct three programs at senior centers in Greensboro and High Point that allowed eligible residents to establish health care powers of attorney.
Student volunteers from Elon Law University, under the supervision of a practicing attorney, created health care powers of attorney for several low-income seniors. Their efforts gave patients peace of mind knowing that their medical wishes would be fulfilled even if they were mentally incapacitated or unable to communicate with their doctors.
“Legal Aid of North Carolina's mission to serve the underserved in our communities is something that the Pro Bono Committee is pleased to support,” said Elon Law Pro Bono Committee, Co-Chair of the Legal Aid Committee. said Kyler Field L'24. Lily Keeken L'25. “Programs like this are a great opportunity for us to work with practicing attorneys and bring peace of mind to our neighborhoods who lack the resources to hire an attorney.”
Legal Aid of North Carolina's mission to serve the underserved in our community is actively supported by the Pro Bono Committee.
– Cowler Field L’24
Legal aid attorneys encourage their clients to share copies of health care power of attorney records with those who may someday make end-of-life decisions. It's also not a bad idea to share a copy with the local hospital if you know your client plans to use a specific provider.
“These programs give students the opportunity to go out into the community and understand the needs of people and how they can get involved in pro bono work,” said Director of Disaster Relief Projects and Pro Bono Programs in the Law Department. said attorney Nicole Mueller L'12. North Carolina Aid. “I hope this inspires them to want to give back as lawyers and do pro bono work.
“It also gives students more hands-on experience in service delivery. Also, estate planning is a big field. This is beneficial for both of us.”
About Elon University School of Law
Elon Law is an excellent school for intense, experiential learning about law. We emphasize learning by doing, integrating traditional classroom instruction with mandatory full-time on-the-job training in the winter or spring of the second year for all full-time students. The law school's distinctive curriculum provides a logically sequenced career preparation program that can be completed in 2.5 years. This provides exceptional value by reducing tuition costs and allowing graduates to enter their careers earlier.
Elon Law opened in 2006 and has produced more than 1,600 graduates. Annual enrollment now exceeds 440 full-time students, and the law school is regularly featured in PreLaw magazine's rankings of “Best Schools for Work Training,” ranking No. 4. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time adult law study evening course in Charlotte, North Carolina, began in fall 2024 with a charter cohort of 36 students.
