UHELP is located at the William S. Richardson School of Law on the campus of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa.

Our goal
In assisting older individuals with legal issues, our goal is to enhance, protect and preserve their autonomy and independence as much as and long as possible. We do this through education and direct services with an emphasis on preventive law.

Education
The Elder Law course provides a basic foundation for legal practice with the elderly. It is open to second and third year law students, students enrolled in the advance certificate in aging program at the University of Hawai'i Center on Aging and to law school and medical school graduates. You can look at the current syllabus on the here.

UHELP's The Elder Law Hawai`i Handbook provides legal information to older adults on a wide range of topics. UHELP also provides educational and training materials in conjunction with regular training sessions and presentations to senior groups, attorney and health-care professionals and policy makers.

Service
The UHELP Staff provides direct legal services to older individuals (60+) who are socially and economically needy. UHELP has an attorney and a paralegal and operates throughout the calendar year as a law office.

To Qualify
If you

• Are 60 years or older
• Cannot afford a lawyer
• Meet income qualifications (for some cases)
  (Each case is evaluated according to its own merits and in accordance with staff capabilities)

Our Services:
Some of the services UHELP may be able to help you with are:

• Advance Healthcare Directives-healthcare instructions (similar to the old "living will") and healthcare powers of attorney
• Simple wills-restricted to certain estate values
• General durable powers of attorney
• Planning for incapacity and death
• Counseling on end-of-life decision-making
• Information about public benefits
• Counseling on elder abuse and guardianship
• General legal information and referrals

Some type of cases we DO NOT handle are:

• Criminal Law (including traffic violations)
• Commercial or Income Producing Matters
• Personal Injury Matters.

There are no fees charged for our services. However, donations are welcome. Because of our limited staff and resources, we give priority to the most needy of clients.

We receive funding under Title III of the Older Americans Act through the City and County of Honolulu, from the Judiciary from the Hawai'i Justice Foundation, and other private and public grants.

To see if we can help you, please call us at 956-6544 (FAX 956-9439) or write to us at

University of Hawai`i Elder Law Program
2515 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822

Or you can email us at uhelp@hawaii.edu

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