Wills & Healthcare Clinic

Catalog description

Elective Course Enrollment Limit: 8 1.5 Classroom credits, 1.5 Non-classroom credits Satisfies Experiential Learning requirement Co-requisite: Evidence The Wills and Advance Directives clinic will assist low-income clients with estate planning matters. Through the clinic, students will work directly with clients to draft estate planning documents. Students will counsel and assist low-income clients with respect to their final wishes for the future disposition of their property. Students will also assist clients with preparing documentation related to end of life healthcare decisions. Students will provide guidance and advice to clients to enable them to understand the types of plans they need and the estate planning documents that might be appropriate to meet their goals. Documents drafted by students will include last wills and testaments, living wills, financial and medical powers of attorney, and burial instructions, as appropriate. Students will potentially meet with clients at UPMC Mercy, at the Tribone Center, or another location in the community. The clinic will limit itself to simple estate planning matters. The clinic will refer clients with complicated complex estate planning needs to other attorneys. Students will attend a companion classroom seminar to receive instruction on the law of estate planning, and the process of drafting estate planning and end-of-life documents. Students will additionally receive instruction about ethical considerations, and the administration of the client?s estate upon death. Clinic students will learn the essentials of developing an attorney-client relationship through classroom instruction and supervised participation in the entire estate planning process that will include client intake, interviewing, counseling, and document drafting and editing, and execution.