From May 20-27, 2021, 65 volunteers from the Richmond and Washington, D.C., offices of McGuireWoods and Capital One worked with the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation (GRBF) and Virginia Department of Veterans Services to assist veterans with estate planning, simple wills, powers of attorney and living wills.
This Wills for Veterans pro bono legal clinic, which took place on Capital One’s Pro Bono Day, helped 55 Virginia veterans prepare more than 160 life-planning documents. D.C. partner John Thompson, who chairs McGuireWoods’ Veteran Lawyer Network, Charlotte counsel and firm pro bono director Angie Zimmern and Richmond partner Bryan Fratkin spearheaded McGuireWoods’ participation in the clinic.
“The clinic was a great success, one we hope to continue with future events,” said Fratkin. “And we were honored to be able to give back in some small way to the veterans who gave so much to our country.”
To prepare for the clinic, on May 20, Richmond associate Laura Meis and Washington, D.C., partner Bill Sanderson conducted a virtual CLE training, with support from the GRBF. Volunteers then took virtual appointments with veteran clients that afternoon and on subsequent days to counsel and draft documents. Volunteers also participated at in-person events May 26-27 across Virginia — in Richmond, Roanoke, Springfield, Norfolk and Charlottesville — to help execute the documents prepared for the veterans.