FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – May 20, 2016 – International law firm Greenberg Traurig is hosting free Estate Planning Clinics for Holocaust survivors in conjunction with Dr. Stanley and Pearl Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward and Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, Inc.
The first clinic was held Sunday, May 15 at the Goodman Jewish Family Service Center in Plantation. The second clinic will be held Tuesday, May 24 at Century Village in Boca Raton. Neither event is open to the public.
Greenberg Traurig attorneys from the Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and Miami are providing pro bono legal services and helping the Holocaust survivors prepare estate planning documents, including wills, health care advance directives, and durable powers of attorney. The event, organized by Fort Lauderdale Trusts & Estates Shareholder Parker F. Taylor, is part of an ongoing program of clinics for Holocaust survivors that the firm continues to host throughout South Florida.
“In keeping with Greenberg Traurig's long-standing commitment to giving back to the community, we are proud to provide pro bono estate planning clinics to help some of our community’s most vulnerable members – Holocaust survivors,” Taylor said. “There is a serious need to help aging Holocaust survivors assemble the critical legal documents they need to legally protect their estates and we are proud to offer our legal support.”
Other Greenberg Traurig attorneys participating in the program include: Miami Trusts & Estates Associate Benjamin Babcock, Fort Lauderdale Tax Associate Jared S. Baumwell, Fort Lauderdale Trusts & Estates Resident Attorney Eun K. Chan, Fort Lauderdale Corporate & Securities Resident Attorney Elizaveta E. Ivanova, Fort Lauderdale Litigation Shareholder Sara Levy, Boca Raton Litigation Shareholder and Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services Board Member Stephen A. Mendelsohn, Fort Lauderdale Litigation Associate Richard B. Rosengarten and Fort Lauderdale Litigation Shareholder Caran Rothchild.
“Goodman JFS is very grateful for Greenberg Traurig's support, helping to meet the needs of the survivors in the community during this stage in their life,’’ said Elizabeth Sumpf, licensed clinical social worker with Goodman JFS. “Without the support of Greenberg Traurig we would be unable to help survivors complete their end of life directives and ensure their wishes are carried out after they are gone.”
“Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services is proud to support this clinic and we thank the Greenberg Traurig attorneys for donating their time to our clients,” said Danielle Hartman, President & CEO of Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services.
In addition to the estate planning clinic, Greenberg Traurig has hosted other pro bono clinics in recent years for Holocaust survivors. Between 2008 and 2010, more than 40 Greenberg Traurig attorneys from six offices provided legal services to more than 100 Holocaust survivors, allowing them to begin receiving reparations from the German government. It’s estimated that there are close to 130,000 Holocaust survivors in the U.S. and 30 percent are living at or below the poverty line – which is three times the poverty rate for most older Americans.
Organizations in South Florida interested in scheduling Holocaust Survivor Estate Planning Clinics with Greenberg Traurig should contact Dawn R. Wolf, Pro Bono Coordinator, at 202-530-8545 or wolfda@gtlaw.com.