Attorney Mildred Palmer Discusses Electronic Wills at Bar Association Event

Attorney Mildred Palmer, one of the founders and partners at Navigant Law Group, LLC, spoke recently to the Northwest Suburban Bar Association (NWSBA) on the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnessing Act.

The Act, in part, codifies Executive Order 2020-14, which was signed by Governor JB Pritzker in early 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic exploded, restricting the opportunity for people to meet in person. The Act takes that Executive Order to the next level and permits execution of documents, including electronic wills, via audio-video conferencing. The Act not only permits the electronic signing and execution of estate planning documents, but it enables the use of remote witnessing - that is, witnesses who are not in the same physical location as the person signing the document.

"The Act provides a significant paradigm shift in how estate planning and other documents can be handled," said Palmer. "But it is not without technical challenges. It presents certain areas of concern regarding the creation, execution, and storage of critical documents."

The NWSBA is comprised of more than 650 members from the Northwest suburbs and offers ongoing events, seminars, referrals, and CLE opportunities.

"It's an honor to speak to my peers in the NWSBA," Palmer said. "It is a great organization for continuing education and for improving the quality of law practiced in this area. I'm grateful to have had this opportunity to share my experience with other attorneys."

Navigant Law Group, LLC is a women-owned enterprise which was recently rebranded after providing legal services under the name Waltz, Palmer and Dawson for more than a decade. The new entity also moved this year to a new location at 3030 Salt Creek Lane in Arlington Heights.

For more information on the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnessing Act, contact Mildred Palmer at (847) 253-8800.