Discussion - 2 hours. This streamlined version of Trusts, Wills, and Estates is designed for students who are mainly interested in taking the course to prepare for the bar exam. It covers the basics of intestate succession and the creation and interpretation of wills and trusts under the Uniform Probate Code and the California Probate Code. Although it does not delve deeply into these issues, it sets the stage for students to master them during the bar review period.
Discussion - 3 hours. The general public assumes that all lawyers can do two things: try a case and write a Will. Most lawyers can’t do either. This course is designed to remedy that situation in part by introducing students to the basics of estate planning and administration. It should be taken by most students--if for no other reason than that it is a Bar course. The course will cover: the changing nature of the family; the law of intestate succession; statutory Family Protection schemes; restrictions on Testation; the role, preparation and construction of Wills; the uses, creation, construction and termination of Trusts; rudimentary tax considerations in the estate planning process; the use of future interests and powers of appointment; the mechanics of Estate Administration (including an examination of Probate and of alternatives to Probate); the role and responsibilities of fiduciaries; the role of the attorney in the Estate Planning process; and the Rules of Professional Responsibility as they apply to the estate attorney.
Final Assessment: Exam
Grading Mode: Letter Grading