TORONTO, ON – November marks “Make A Will Month” for the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) – an important opportunity for Ontario lawyers to demonstrate their role as valuable educators in their communities and to remind the public of the importance of having a will.
Make A Will Month has a dual purpose. It is about supporting lawyers and ensuring they have the resources they need to meet their clients’ expectations. And more importantly, it is about encouraging Ontarians to take the first step in determining their goals, collecting relevant information and preparing for an estate-planning meeting with a lawyer.
For lawyers, the OBA provides an online toolkit that helps members reach out to their communities and discuss the importance of planning ahead. The toolkit is available at www.oba.org/makeawill.
For the public, Make A Will Month is about taking the all-important step in starting their planning process. With Canadian research suggesting that more than half of Canadians do not have a will, the OBA uses Make A Will Month to remind people that Ontario’s lawyers are an excellent resource to help begin the process.
“Getting sound legal advice when preparing your estate, including making a will, helps demystify the process, is the best way to ensure you achieve your goals and family’s needs, and avoid unnecessary expenses and delays for your family after your death. Proper estate planning with a lawyer provides overall peace of mind,” said Danielle Joel, Chair of the OBA’s Trusts and Estates Law Section.
The public may search for a wills and estate planning lawyer through the Find A Lawyer search function on the OBA’s website at www.oba.org/findalawyer.
Also for the public, the OBA runs a Speakers Bureau which connects lawyers with their communities for free public education sessions. During the month of November, the OBA is looking to arrange speaking sessions on Wills and Estates Planning for groups across the province. Groups interested in having a lawyer speak about Wills and Estate Planning are encouraged to connect with the OBA Speakers Bureau at www.oba.org/speakersbureau.
“OBA’s lawyers highly value the opportunity they have to provide public legal education to Ontarians,” said OBA President David Sterns. “Make A Will Month is one way we can help the public with an important step in their life and highlight the unique value of lawyer services.”
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For more information:
Amy Clark, OBA Media Relations & Communications Manager
416-869-1047 x364; aclark@oba.org