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AutoZone and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC Team Up for Free Legal Services to Assist Seniors
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – On Tuesday, August 4, AutoZone, Inc., and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC in conjunction with Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) hosted a pro bono legal clinic at the Orange Mound Senior Center to assist Memphis-area seniors.
“Attorneys have a unique set of talents,” said Heather Kolasinsky, a corporate attorney with AutoZone and volunteer at the Orange Mound Senior Center legal clinic. “We have the education and knowledge. It’s really important that we give back those skills. Our attorneys and paralegals volunteer all the time individually and through AutoZone in other types of community service. But it’s nice when we can use our skill sets to provide volunteer services not typically available.”
Fifteen attorneys and summer associates from Bass, Berry & Sims PLC and eight attorneys and paralegals from AutoZone’s legal department joined together to donate their time and knowledge to provide healthcare directives, as well as wills, advance care plans, and other essential legal advice. During the 90-minute clinic, legal services were provided to at least 30 seniors.
“We had tremendous participation from both groups—from the managing partner of our office to our summer associates,” said Kristen Wright, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC associate. “Through our involvement in the community, our firm and the legal professionals at AutoZone recognized that seniors are an underserved population and in need of these types of legal documents and services. We were grateful for the opportunity to provide the services they need.”
AutoZone and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC work together closely, and are both actively involved with the community. Together, they sought to partner on this project to increase resources and better serve the senior population. Kolasinsky and Wright spearheaded the effort and contacted Memphis Area Legal Services to help identify recipients. Linda Warren Seely, director of operations and managing attorney of MALS, put them in touch with the Orange Mound Senior Center, one of the largest senior community centers in the area.
“All the volunteers from Bass, Berry & Sims and AutoZone were so receptive and engaged,” said Seely. “We have a huge population of indigent seniors who desperately need access to attorneys on a variety of issues. This clinic, focused primarily on providing healthcare directives to seniors, was particularly important regarding the ongoing healthcare debate. The directives ensure that our seniors have continuous and appropriate healthcare. MALS considers this a high priority need for our clients.”
On Monday, prior to the clinic, MALS provided a training session for the attorneys and paralegals to review the new Tennessee Advance Health Care Directive, its associated forms, and discuss priorities for seniors.
Just one day after the event, MALS and the Orange Mound Senior Center received a number of letters and comments from Orange Mound seniors thanking the volunteer attorneys for the “expert help,” “diligence,” and “care.”
“The clinic was so successful, our seniors are trying to get these volunteers back as soon as possible because not everyone got to be here for this help,” said Orange Mound Senior Center Executive Director Floyd Brown. “Some of our seniors were crying because they got what they really needed done, to keep their affairs in order. This was just critical.”
Based on the success of the first clinic for seniors, Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, and AutoZone are already planning the next clinic.
About Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
With more than 200 attorneys representing numerous publicly traded companies and Fortune 500 businesses, the firm has been involved in some of the largest and most significant business transactions and litigation matters in the country. For more information, visit www.bassberry.com.
About AutoZone
As of May 9, 2009, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 4,172 AutoZone stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S. and 168 stores in Mexico.
AutoZone is the leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Each store carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Many stores also have a commercial sales program that provides commercial credit and prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, and service stations. AutoZone also sells the ALLDATA brand diagnostic and repair software. On the web, AutoZone sells diagnostic and repair information, and auto and light truck parts through www.autozone.com. AutoZone does not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation.
Contact Information:
Financial: Brian Campbell at (901) 495-7005,
Media: Ray Pohlman at (901) 495-7962,
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