Topeka, Kan. – Washburn Law Clinic faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other volunteer attorneys have launched the Washburn Hospital Employees Legal Preparedness Project (HELP) to provide legal preparedness services to support the many Topeka hospital employees who are risking exposure to Covid-19 in order to keep local hospitals operating.
HELP volunteers will draft living wills and durable powers of attorney for healthcare and finance for hospital employees who would otherwise be unable to afford attorneys. Some volunteer attorneys will also draft simple wills.
“The Washburn Law Clinic is launching our HELP Project to assist in providing peace of mind to hospital workers who are bravely facing the pandemic each day,” said Gillian Chadwick, director of the Washburn Law Clinic.
The Washburn Law Clinic is working with local bar associations to recruit volunteer attorneys, and with Topeka hospitals to identify hospital employees who need these documents. The hospital employees will visit with their volunteer attorneys by phone or videoconference; execution of the documents can occur remotely, due to the governor’s recent executive order authorizing notarization by audio-video conferencing. All services will be provided free of charge to the hospital employees.
Hospital employees interested in obtaining these services should contact the Washburn Law Clinic by email at help@washburnlaw.edu or (785) 670-1191. Washburn Law Clinic staff will conduct a brief phone interview to determine eligibility, then refer eligible callers to a volunteer attorney. To be eligible for the free services, people must be currently employed with or recently furloughed by Topeka hospitals and meet the Clinic’s income guidelines.
Attorneys licensed in Kansas who are interested in partnering with the Washburn Law Clinic to help provide these important services during this time of crisis can contact Debi Schrock, managing director of the Washburn Law Clinic administration, at (785) 670-1953 or by email at debi.schrock@washburn.edu.
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