Wills for Heroes Celebrates 20,000 Completed Estate Plans for First Responders

Minnesota Wills for Heroes, a program of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) that Maslon helped create, has reached a milestone: 20,000 completed estate plans for first responders. The program provides basic, no-cost estate planning documents for police, firefighters, and corrections officers—those who are prepared to pay the ultimate price in the line of duty, and their spouses.

Maslon attorney Susan Link worked with the MSBA to establish the program in Minnesota and has served as its program director since the program’s inception in 2007.

“We are immensely gratified to provide first responders with the peace of mind that comes with knowing their affairs are in order,” Susan said. “It is such a privilege to work with first responders and their spouses, and we hope to serve many more.”

Volunteers travel to sites around the state, meeting with first responders at evening or weekend clinics to prepare, review, and sign estate planning documents.

The Wills for Heroes (WFH) program began in South Carolina after 9/11 and is designed to assist emergency personnel in preparing basic estate planning documents (wills, health care directives, and powers of attorney) to protect themselves and their families. The Minnesota program is part of the MSBA’s Amicus Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and is one of 27 programs nationwide.

For more about Wills for Heroes and how to volunteer, go to: Minnesota State Bar Association Wills for Heroes.

Susan served as the chair of Maslon's Estate Planning Group from 2007-2018. She is recognized as a Notable Practitioner in Minnesota for Private Wealth Law in Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) Guide (2018-2025) and she is a fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.