CBA Record September-October 2024

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

pop-up clinic, through a limited scope such as serving as settle ment counsel or taking a case from start to finish. The number of ways to serve is as wide and diverse as the practice of law. Do your due diligence to find which fits you best. Donating your time can also take the form of serving on boards or associate boards. Doing so will not only broaden your network to a diverse group of people who share your passions and interests but also your leadership and business development skills by plan ning programs that further enhance the organization’s mission. If

you apply to serve on a board or associate board of one of these organizations and do not get in at first, try, try again. The ability to take on pro bono work and make change is an ongoing and evolving process and likely will not always take the same form throughout your legal career. But the most important thing to remember throughout your service journey is, regardless of circumstance, to “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

The Young Lawyers Section sponsored its annual All Bar Social with local bar associations in August. Pictured from left: Phillip Rutherford, Rutherford Law PC; Joshua Epstein, Goldberg Kohn; Jeff Ammons, McDermott Will and Emery; Bianca Ciarroni, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP; YLS Chair Kenny Matuszkewski, Rozier Hardt McDonough; YLS First Vice Chair Gavin Phelps, Phelps LLC; and CBA Board of Managers Member Michael Kozlowski, Esbrook Law.

Serving Our Service Members: Wills for Heroes By Sharmon Paris T he CBA Young Lawyers Section Wills for Heroes pro gram offers volunteer opportunities that focus on pre paring basic estate plans for veterans and first responders.

software. These practitioners can also act as witnesses when cli ents are executing their planning documents. The clinic also accepts assistance from non-attorneys (especially those who are notary publics) and law students (who can serve as witnesses or notaries). This program is a great way to help your community, to learn more about estate planning, and to give back to those who serve and protect us every day. In addition to the training you will receive the day of the clinic, we offer a CLE on the CBA website, which discusses the clinic process in detail. If you are interested in becoming one of our volunteers, please contact wills@chicagobar.org for more information.

From September through May, we generally host six in-person estate planning clinics, which also include same-day training for volunteers. We are always seeking new volunteers (regard less of your level of estate planning experience), and several opportunities exist for you to get involved depending on your level of expertise. Experienced Illinois-licensed estate planning attorneys are needed to review completed estate plans, walk clients through the execution of their planning documents, and answer client questions. Illinois-licensed attorneys who lack estate planning experience are needed to draft basic wills and powers of attor ney documents, which can typically be done via automated

Sharmon Paris is a co-chair of the YLS Wills for Heroes Committee and a solo practitioner at her firm, SP Legal Group, LLC.

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