Wills and Advance Directives
The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) Wills on Wheels Program offers eligible senior citizens, and other non-ambulatory individuals, the help of a volunteer lawyer to write a Will, Living Will, Power of Attorney or other advance directive at no cost.
To qualify for this service, citizens must be Fulton County residents, and should have household income less than roughly twice the federal Poverty Guideline.
Those interested in receiving help through this program should call us during our in-take hours; Monday through Friday 9 am through noon.
We will ask eligible clients to fill out a "Wills Questionnaire" and when completed to return it to AVLF (AVLF can help fill out the questionnaire if desired or necessary). AVLF will then refer the client to a volunteer attorney who has expertise in the drafting of a will, revisions to an existing will, and preparation of advance directives: the private attorney will work directly with the client until the completion of the process.
Clients may visit the private attorney at the attorney's office, may meet the attorney at the offices of AVLF, or, if necessary, the attorney will bring a laptop computer and a printer to the homes of eligible clients.
There is no charge from AVLF or from the private attorney for any aspect of this service. For further information, please call the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation at 404/521.0790.
Wills for Emergency Personnel
AVLF is extremely proud of the project launched in the months after September 11 in support of the members of the City of Atlanta emergency personnel. Based on a grant from the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia, and with the help of King & Spalding attorney Ben Pruett, Troutman Sanders attorney Tim Phillips and other members of the Atlanta Bar Association's Trusts and Estates Section, more than 100 Atlanta lawyers and legal assistants were trained to write wills and related advance directives for service personnel. Deciding to begin the program with the City of Atlanta Fire Department, members of the AVLF staff met with the Fire Department Chief, his staff and union officials to explain and gain support for the project. Staff members visited every fire station in the city to answer firefighter's questions about the program, and to encourage participation. Mayor Shirley Franklin and City Council Member Caesar Mitchell offered a letter of support that was distributed to the firefighters and Victoria Gilner, Director of Legal Services for the Georgia Department of Public Safety, prepared a public service announcement in support of the program.
As of the end of 2002, 150 firefighters had received free legal services through this program. In 2003, the program was expanded to offer the pro bono legal services to the Fulton County Marshals and Sheriffs. In the Fall of 2004, the program will expand again to offer this service to members of the City of Atlanta Police Department.
Tapes of the Wills training and copies of the Wills manual used by the pro bono lawyers to assist the firefighters were given to the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia so that the program can be replicated in every judicial district in the state. For further information, please contact AVLF at 404/521-0790.
Document Library
The following forms are available on the GeorgiaAdvocates.org web site. They are located in the "Law Library" under the "Wills and Estate Projects" folder.
- Questionnaire
- Will Form
- Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Living Will
- AVLF Retainer Agreement
