# Lawyers and Legacies

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/01/06/lawyers-and-legacies/
- Published: 2010-01-06T11:33:09+00:00
- Author: Simon George

At the recent IoF Legacy Conference, lawyer Alison Talbot of Blake Talbot gave some
valuable insights into a lawyer’s perspective on legacy fundraising, covering discretionary
legacies, advertising in charity gazettes and asking solicitors to promote a particular
charity.

To start with, she berated charities for chasing discretionary legacies, suggesting
that professional executors found them a nuisance and that they upset donors’ families.

My reaction was that, if lawyers find the charities’ letters so troubling and are
concerned for family executors, why then don’t they discourage will makers from 
leaving this type of legacy in the first place? After all, there are other sorts
of legacy they can leave, most of which are easier to administer.

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Talbot also went on to add that, unbeknown to fundraising charities, many discretionary
legators of course leave a list of preferred charities, not included in their will.
In other words, while discretionary legacies can appear to be a good opportunity(
if still a long shot), in practice the money is already allocated and the chances
of success therefore very slim.

Interestingly, she also nailed a common question from charities about advertising
in legal gazettes, by confirming that she checks charity details for will making
clients not in these publications, but on the Charity Commission website. So, if
we needed a reminder, here it is from the horse’s mouth folks – don’t waste money
advertising in legal gazettes. Invest it in better donor care, where it will make
a real difference.

Talbot confirmed yet again that, in practice, solicitors rarely influence the choice
of charity (in fact I have only ever met one lawyer who did claim to influence people
in favour of his chosen charity). She also confirmed that her firm will not allow
charity literature in its reception area, so the opportunities here were also limited
and we can assume this is the case with many other firms.

I know there are ways we can work with lawyers, but we need to be clued up about
what they can and cannot do for us. For most charities, efforts should really be
focussed on prospective donors (as well as stewarding enquirers and pledgers) rather
than trying to court professionals who have limited opportunities and little inclination
to help bring in legacies.

For more on legacy fundraising see http://www.wgconsulting.co.uk/fundraising-services/
legacy-fundraising

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