"[We're] just making this intimidating process...as fun, and enjoyable, and painless as possible."

ST PAUL, Minn. — At a corner table at Tin Whiskers Brewing in St. Paul Thursday night, Ryan McLaughlin joined five other people for beer and pizza. But there was more going on than that.

"Tonight is our firm's 'Beer & Bequest' event," McLaughlin, a general practice lawyer, explained, "It's a will writing workshop."

McLaughlin has hosted several such events, at which participants draft a will, a power of attorney, and a health care directive, all while having a slice and a cold one.

"[We're] just making this intimidating process, bound up with legalese…[we're] trying to make it as fun, and enjoyable, and painless as possible," McLaughlin said, "We're at a brewery. It's casual. I'm super chill about it."

McLaughlin's goal was to find a way to make the process more inviting, enticing more people to begin drafting end-of-life documents.

A 2019 study by Caring.com, found 57-percent of U.S. adults don't have a will.

"[And] under the age of 30 or 40, virtually nobody [has one]," McLaughlin said of his experience.

"It feels like such a big, intimidating thing, like thinking about end of life and all these huge decisions," said Kiera Faye, who attended Thursday's event, "But we're at Tin Whiskers regularly anyway, so it just makes it more comfortable."

The participants don't sign anything at the event. McLaughlin notes the beer drinking, while not excessive, could raise legal questions. He says the participants wait a few weeks, then meet with him again to review and sign the documents.

The next workshop is scheduled for October 22.