Volunteer of the Month – July 2024

Foster Ford is an estate planning associate at Foley & Lardner LLP.

• • How did you first get involved in pro bono?

I first got involved in pro bono work while in law school an d knew that I wanted to continue that work as part of my law practice. DVAP has made it easy to stay involved in the pro bono and legal community.

• • What types of cases have you accepted?

I have primarily assisted individuals and families with estate planning and probate matters through the DVAP program.

• • Describe your most compelling pro bono case. 

The first DVAP case I took was to help a recent widow navigate through the probate process and gain access to her bank account and only source of income. Her bank froze her account when her husband passed, and she had no way of accessing the account to pay for basic living expenses and necessities. Since resolving the issues through the Probate Court and bank, I have had the opportunity to assist her with other legal matters, such as preparing a will and estate planning documents.

• • Why do you do pro bono?

My pro bono clients have been some of my favorite clients and they motivate me to continue providing pro bono work to the community. Through my pro bono work, I have seen the impact and importance of making the legal system more accessible to those with fewer resources.

• • What impact has pro bono service had on your career?

I have had the chance to work in different areas of law that I otherwise don’t experience in my everyday practice. It has taught me to use creative solutions to solve legal problems and has broadened my skill set as an attorney.