The Importance of Experiential Estate Planning: Preparing the Next Generation of Lawyers & Serving Wyoming

• Publication year: 2024
• Citation: Vol. 47 No. 4

The Importance of Experiential Estate Planning: Preparing the Next Generation of Lawyers and Serving WyomingVol. 47 No. 4 Pg. 24Wyoming Bar JournalAugust 2024

The Importance of Experiential Estate Planning: Preparing the Next Generation of Lawyers and Serving Wyoming

by Emily Harmon

The practice of estate planning encapsulates the essence of responsible stewardship and the preservation of one's life's work. Estate planning services serve as the compass guiding individuals and families through the complexities of wealth distribution, healthcare decisions, and legacy preservation. These services offer peace of mind and clarity in navigating the intricate web of financial affairs and family dynamics. A maze of statutory default provisions fills the gap left in the absence of planning. These provisions rarely offer the clarity and peace of mind that quality estate planning legal counsel seeks to provide.

The University of Wyoming College of Law's Estate Planning Practicum seeks to resolve issues of accessibility surrounding estate planning and administration of legal services while equipping the next generation of Wyoming attorneys with practical experience.

History

In June 2011, the American College of Trust and Estate Council (ACTEC)^[1] awarded a grant to the University of Wyoming College of Law to aid in the creation of the Estate Planning Practicum (EPP). The EPP was created to provide estate planning and estate administration services to low-income individuals in Wyoming while also providing an opportunity for law students to gain practical experience. Students...