Inside the
Bar
Governor's proclamation launches life planning week, State Bar hosts
hotline
Gov. Jim Doyle proclaimed the week of Nov. 24 "Life Planning Week" to
remind Wisconsin families about the importance of preparing for future
health needs. Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager presented the
governor's proclamation at a press conference, which was immediately
followed by a two-hour hotline. Lautenschlager was joined by volunteer
attorneys who answered more than 30 phone calls from the public.
In the two weeks following the proclamation, more than 6,000 copies
of the State Bar's publication, A Gift to Your Family: Planning
Ahead for Future Health Needs, were downloaded from LegalExplorer,
the State Bar's public Web site. More hotlines are planned for February.
This comprehensive end-of-life planning guide educates the public about
issues surrounding advance directives, such as power of attorney for
health care, living wills, and other issues such as organ and tissue
donation.
"The State Bar was pleased to initiate Life Planning Week," said
State Bar President George Burnett. "During the past four years we have
distributed nearly 100,000 planning guides to help Wisconsin residents
prepare for their medical future. The governor's proclamation brought
visibility to this valuable publication and demonstrated the value
lawyers bring to the public, a message the State Bar is consistently
using in its communications to the public."
"Planning ahead for future health needs can make all the difference
to you and your family during a medical emergency," said Lautenschlager.
"Life Planning Week is a reminder for Wis-consin residents to discuss
health care decisions and put your wishes in wri-ting before that
emergency happens."
The hotline was sponsored by the State Bar, in conjunction with the
Madison law firm of DeWitt, Ross & Stevens. Lautenschlager was
joined by State Bar President-elect Michelle Behnke; Michael Christopher
of DeWitt, Ross & Stevens; Maureen Lokrantz of Hill, Glowacki,
Jaeger & Hughes LLP; and Betsy Abramson and Meg Gaines, both with
U.W. Law School.
The proclamation cited the 1999 joint efforts of the State Bar, the
Wisconsin Hospital Association, the Wisconsin Medical Society, and
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in a statewide public service campaign
on life planning. The consumer guide, now in its fourth printing, was
produced through that partnership.
Print copies are available for $1 for members, plus tax, shipping,
and handling. Volume discounts are available. Order online at the State
Bar's new Marketplace.
Single
copies can be downloaded
1.16 MB.
For more information, contact the State Bar at (800) 728-7788 or
(608) 257-3838.
Inside the
Bar
