Wills Week 2020: 26 – 30 October

National Wills Week will be held from 26 to 30 October.

National Wills Week is now an established highlight among the profession’s social outreach and access to justice initiatives. This is thanks to the thousands of attorneys who participate by giving generously of their time and skills. Wills Week has also attracted increasing coverage in the media as well as support from major stakeholders.

The aim of the Wills Week campaign is twofold:

– to position attorneys as the premier providers of wills and estates services to the public, and to improve the image of the profession generally; and
– to encourage members of the public who would not normally make use of the services of an attorney, or who may hesitate to approach an attorney, to consult an attorney to have a basic will drafted.

How does Wills Week work?
Your firm will be provided with free, trilingual posters in the language combination of your choice to publicise your participation. Provision is made on the posters for your firm’s contact details.

Your firm will be listed as a participating firm on the database of participating firms on the Law Society of South Africa website.

A national media campaign will be launched early in September. All media and publicity material will invite members of the public to consult the LSSA website for the contact details of participating firms.

What is expected from you as a participating firm?
– Basic wills will be drawn up free of charge.
– You should provide an explanation of the importance of having a properly and professionally drafted will to the client.
– You may not insist that you are appointed as the executor of the estate.
– You must give the client a copy of his/her will.
– Interviews with clients should be conducted at your offices.
– You will not be expected to redraft or amend existing wills for free, nor will you be expected to draft complex wills involving trusts, etc.

If you are planning to tweet about Wills Week, please use the Twitter hashtag: #WillsWeek20.

Thank you for contributing to the positive image of the profession through your participation in this initiative.