The Trusts and Estates concentration at New England Law will help you develop the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for a career helping individuals and families in the planning and administration of their estates, as well as representing executors and trustees.
Through the concentration, you’ll learn to counsel clients in the transfer of their wealth to family members and loved ones, and how to plan for the possibility of legal incapacity, amongst other life events. Become well versed in drafting wills, trust instruments, powers of attorney, and other legal documents. Discover the ways in which property and tax laws affect the estate planning process, and learn how you can use those laws in the best interests of your clients.
What Do Trusts and Estates Lawyers Do?
Lawyers practicing trusts and estates law use their expertise to help their clients devise estate plans tailored to carry out their wishes in transferring their wealth among their family and friends as they see fit. Estate planning also includes techniques that can alleviate legal problems in the event of incapacity, and long-term care planning for the aged and infirm. Many trusts and estates lawyers restrict their practices to planning and administration, while others represent those engaged in disputes concerning technical issues such testamentary capacity, undue influence, and breach of fiduciary duty.
The work of a trusts and estates lawyer can be very demanding and specialized, particularly where large estates and tax-intensive plans are involved. On the other hand, the field also presents the opportunity to work on more basic plans and moderate estates. Either way, using the law in a planning context is uniquely rewarding work. Trusts and estates law can be very fulfilling as you develop close relationships with your clients, and is generally very well compensated.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Students in our Trusts and Estates concentration program have access to the following hands-on learning experiences, among others:
Trusts and Estates Courses
In addition to their foundational legal coursework, students pursuing a concentration in Trusts and Estates can choose among many exciting elective classes to meet their credit requirements. To complete a concentration in Trusts and Estates, students must earn 10 credits by completing each of the following courses:
- Wills, Estates and Trusts I
- Personal Income Tax
- Wills, Estates and Trusts II
- Estate Planning
Additional recommended courses include:
- Accounting for Lawyers
- Business Organizations
- Client Counseling
- Law and the Elderly
- Law Practice Management
- Mediation
- Tax Clinic
- Tax Practice and Procedure
- Taxation of Business Entities
Trusts and Estates Advisor