For Nan Hannah, the decision was an easy one. Volunteering and giving back are at the heart of who she is.

Nan’s generous spirit has fueled her personal and professional pursuits throughout her life, so pledging a legacy gift to the NCBF was a natural extension of that generosity.

Let Your Life “Speak”

To make a deferred gift is to say, “I am grateful for this organization, and committed to supporting its mission when I’m no longer here,” said Nan. So what is her advice for someone looking to contribute in this way?

“Align your giving with the things you are most passionate about.”

And for Nan, NCBF was a natural selection, along with her church and the YMCA, organizations where she has strong ties and a long history of engagement.

Currently, her North Carolina Bar Association engagement includes serving on the Board of Directors and acting as a liaison between the Bar Association and the Foundation as that relationship grows and evolves. Past affiliation has included service on the Board of Governors, Chair for the Construction Law Council, among other roles.

Honoring a Family Tradition

While Nan admits that she would volunteer full-time if not for the need to provide for herself and her two cats, for three decades she has practiced law with a blend of legal acumen and client focus that honor a family tradition. She is an attorney/partner with Hannah, Sheridan & Cochran, LLP, a firm of which she was one of the founding partners. Her late father, Walter L. Hannah, was among the group that founded the construction law section. She now practices in that area, following in his footsteps. Walter’s legal career spanned more than 50 years, and his name also lives on through an NCBF Justice Fund that was established in his name in 2009, and he is a member of the NCBA’s Legal Practice Hall of Fame.

Plan to Give

“One of the obligations of being a licensed attorney is to give back to the community,” asserts Nan, and when the path of giving extends beyond pro bono and volunteerism to establishing a planned gift that will fuel the work of the Foundation, the rewards are many. Your commitment will allow you to make a lasting impact on an organization you care about, leave a gift that might not have been possible during your lifetime, contribute to your estate planning goals, and potentially realize tax savings for both your estate and the recipient of your gift.

The Platt D. Walker Society

When Nan made her commitment to support the NCBF through a planned gift, she became a member of The Platt D. Walker Society and joined the ranks of hundreds of other members and friends who have contributed since 1996, when the Society was first established. The Society honors the name of Platt D. Walker, who was elected the first president of the North Carolina Bar Association in 1899, and it contributes to endowment funding available to fuel the mission of NCBF now and into the future.

For more information on the Platt D. Walker Society and to discuss options for establishing a personal gift, contact [email protected].

This article is part of the 2023 Impact Series. Access the 2023 Impact webpage.