thedrifter
06-03-08, 02:34 PM
chicagotribune.com
Michigan lawyers help departing troops prepare wills
By MARGARET HARDING
Associated Press Writer
2:23 PM CDT, June 3, 2008
DETROIT
Marine Cpl. James Roellich will have plenty to worry about during his seven-month deployment to Africa.
But thanks to some sympathetic members of the Michigan legal community, his worries will not include whether his wife can handle a car loan or access a bank account.
Michigan law professors, students and practicing attorneys have been visiting reserve units to provide free legal advice, helping military personnel before they're deployed, after they return and increasingly, while they're away on duty.
"It was great that they took their time out basically for free to help the Marines," Roellich said.
Roellich had his will and durable power of attorney prepared for him last month by lawyers at Camp Grayling in the northern Lower Peninsula. A durable power of attorney authorizes another person to take care of one's finances, in Roellich's case, his wife.
Roellich, who's now back home in Wisconsin, was one of more than 100 Marines who received legal help at Camp Grayling from members of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program.
The group of lawyers, Cooley law professors and students also has assisted troops in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Kalamazoo, said Heather Spielmaker, who runs the program.
Before deployment, the group mainly prepares wills and powers of attorney for the departing troops.
"It's basically like a will assembly line," Spielmaker said. "We prepare about 150 a day when we're at full tilt."
The program began by helping recently returned military personnel with legal matters, but soon expanded to help those about to be deployed.
"You can imagine as you depart for overseas, they're concerned about their families and making sure their affairs are in order just in case something less than fortunate happens to them overseas," said Maj. Randy Parker of the Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, headquartered in Minneapolis. A unit of Squadron 471, to which Roellich belongs, was training at Camp Grayling in May and is set to be deployed after Labor Day.
Preparing wills before military personnel start active duty is a grim reality of the job, but one troops typically take in stride, said Cooley professor Nancy Wonch.
"They are pretty matter of fact about it, so that enables the lawyer to be pretty matter of fact about it, too," Wonch said. "It's just a business that has to be taken care of, I think, from their point of view."
Roellich said he was more concerned with making sure his wife could handle the finances than he was about his will.
"I guess since they mention it so often, the shock has just kind of wore off," said Roellich, who joined the reserves in 2004.
Normally, Marines are assisted by their own lawyers, but sometimes they're stretched thin, Spielmaker said.
"That was kind of an unexpected demand, particularly with the Marines," Spielmaker said. "They don't necessarily have a JAG officer readily available so by having several attorneys there available, they get a little more personal attention."
The Lansing school, which runs a part-time legal education program and has branches in Grand Rapids and Auburn Hills, plans to extend its reach across the globe by joining Chrysler LLC and Freedom Calls to provide video legal consultation between troops and lawyers.
The lawyers also help troops with a variety of issues once they return from active duty. Law professor Charles Palmer served in the Michigan National Guard and has been involved with the program since its start.
"I admire the service of soldiers like all of us do, and this is the opportunity to help out some," he said.
The servicemen and women always have appeared grateful for the help, Wonch said.
"My experience with them is that they're very young, extremely respectful and very appreciative of the fact that we're there and helping them take care of these things so they don't have to worry about this aspect while they worry about saving their lives and the lives of other people," Wonch said.
Ellie
Michigan lawyers help departing troops prepare wills
By MARGARET HARDING
Associated Press Writer
2:23 PM CDT, June 3, 2008
DETROIT
Marine Cpl. James Roellich will have plenty to worry about during his seven-month deployment to Africa.
But thanks to some sympathetic members of the Michigan legal community, his worries will not include whether his wife can handle a car loan or access a bank account.
Michigan law professors, students and practicing attorneys have been visiting reserve units to provide free legal advice, helping military personnel before they're deployed, after they return and increasingly, while they're away on duty.
"It was great that they took their time out basically for free to help the Marines," Roellich said.
Roellich had his will and durable power of attorney prepared for him last month by lawyers at Camp Grayling in the northern Lower Peninsula. A durable power of attorney authorizes another person to take care of one's finances, in Roellich's case, his wife.
Roellich, who's now back home in Wisconsin, was one of more than 100 Marines who received legal help at Camp Grayling from members of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program.
The group of lawyers, Cooley law professors and students also has assisted troops in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Kalamazoo, said Heather Spielmaker, who runs the program.
Before deployment, the group mainly prepares wills and powers of attorney for the departing troops.
"It's basically like a will assembly line," Spielmaker said. "We prepare about 150 a day when we're at full tilt."
The program began by helping recently returned military personnel with legal matters, but soon expanded to help those about to be deployed.
"You can imagine as you depart for overseas, they're concerned about their families and making sure their affairs are in order just in case something less than fortunate happens to them overseas," said Maj. Randy Parker of the Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, headquartered in Minneapolis. A unit of Squadron 471, to which Roellich belongs, was training at Camp Grayling in May and is set to be deployed after Labor Day.
Preparing wills before military personnel start active duty is a grim reality of the job, but one troops typically take in stride, said Cooley professor Nancy Wonch.
"They are pretty matter of fact about it, so that enables the lawyer to be pretty matter of fact about it, too," Wonch said. "It's just a business that has to be taken care of, I think, from their point of view."
Roellich said he was more concerned with making sure his wife could handle the finances than he was about his will.
"I guess since they mention it so often, the shock has just kind of wore off," said Roellich, who joined the reserves in 2004.
Normally, Marines are assisted by their own lawyers, but sometimes they're stretched thin, Spielmaker said.
"That was kind of an unexpected demand, particularly with the Marines," Spielmaker said. "They don't necessarily have a JAG officer readily available so by having several attorneys there available, they get a little more personal attention."
The Lansing school, which runs a part-time legal education program and has branches in Grand Rapids and Auburn Hills, plans to extend its reach across the globe by joining Chrysler LLC and Freedom Calls to provide video legal consultation between troops and lawyers.
The lawyers also help troops with a variety of issues once they return from active duty. Law professor Charles Palmer served in the Michigan National Guard and has been involved with the program since its start.
"I admire the service of soldiers like all of us do, and this is the opportunity to help out some," he said.
The servicemen and women always have appeared grateful for the help, Wonch said.
"My experience with them is that they're very young, extremely respectful and very appreciative of the fact that we're there and helping them take care of these things so they don't have to worry about this aspect while they worry about saving their lives and the lives of other people," Wonch said.
Ellie