I’m writing to ask for a volunteers to supervise law students as part of the Wills Project, a project of Pro Bono Students Canada (“PBSC”). Run in cooperation with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and Osgoode Hall Law School, the Wills Project is an initiative to help low income Torontonians obtain wills and powers of attorney documents.
To act as a lawyer supervisor, you will be asked to work with one (or more if you have time) – law student. You will sit in on an initial client interview as the student takes instructions for the preparation of documents, review drafts prepared by the student, and supervise the meeting to sign completed documents. Precedents are provided by PBSC. Students coordinate the meetings, and the time commitment is very manageable – about 2-3 hours per academic semester. There are also opportunities to assist with public education events.
I have gained a great deal from participating in this project: gaining experience with interview and drafting skills, meeting new soon-to-be practicing lawyers with whom I’ve built relationships, assisting clients who would otherwise not have access to a decent estate plan, and feeling like I’m giving something back to my city.
Over the past few years a number of lawyer-supervisors have retired from practice, and the project requires some fresh faces to keep it operating. If you have a couple of hours to spare please consider contacting the project coordinator to be matched with a student. You do not need to have years of drafting experience to be an asset to the program. Please contact Alison Symington at Alison.symington@probonostudents.ca to volunteer, or email me if you are interested but have questions, at jmartin@dicksonlawyers.com.
Thanks and happy drafting!
Jane Martin