Basic Tasks
A Probate Lawyer is the kind of lawyer who's in charge of administering and overseeing a deceased person's estate. He or she tries to resolve all the claims of the parties concerned and then distributes the property (or properties) according to what is stated in a valid will. In a different light, when they're hired as estate planning attorneys, they try to help their clients with common headaches such as the highly onerous costs required to distribute the assets of a deceased person. There's also the matter of taxation costs due to the liquidation of certain properties or just the simple matter of estate taxes. Finally, there are some unforeseen consequences that the lawyer tries to shield their client from. The law can be complicated when it comes to matters of inheritance and property; therefore the lawyer's main concern is the ease of the process so everyone can feel comfortable.
Fundamental Education
To become a Probate Lawyer, you'll basically need to have an undergraduate degree. You can major in anything, but it's recommended that you choose courses in business as this will help lighten your path as you go down the road. Of course, you'll need to take classes like accountancy or some other subject tackling real estate and liquidation and such. After you've done all that, you need to prepare for what's next. Look ahead to the future and prepare for the LSAT. This is similar to most SATs except that they're basically concentrated on how you're going to do well in the next stage of becoming a Probate Lawyer.
After you're done with basic education, your next step is to enroll in law school. If you think that you're not prepared to take the LSAT, then it's probably a good idea for you to study more before diving in. There's no such thing as being over-prepared when you want a career in this field. This basically takes you three years, but it might take longer if you choose a part-time program such as night school. While you're still here, prepare yourself for the bar exam as you juggle your time, especially if you look for internships or part-time jobs. Research in advance before you take on any internship, because you might get stressed out with everything. Experience is the key to the next step, so taking on workshops that touch on this field is also a huge advantage.
The Final Trial
The final test that will specify if you're really ready to practice law is the bar examination. The bar exam is a scrutinizing test that determines if a candidate has the real qualifications needed to practice in a jurisdiction or other legal powers. In short, this will be the deciding factor if you're cut out to be a lawyer or not. It's recommended to take a prep course before taking this exam as it will help you greatly. The bar exam typically consists of several essay questions about some general legal principles, and then complex questions that test your knowledge of the state's local laws. It also contains the MBE (Multi-State Bar Examination), which has over 200 multiple choice questions on common rules and regulations of the country you reside in.
When you've passed the bar, you will then have the option of submitting your resume as an intern, or you may be invited to any firm that focuses on probate legal procedures. You can even put up your own firm if you feel that you're up to the task, but it's actually better to start out with applying to small, modest firms so you can benefit from the experience. If you feel you've missed some important factors, then read this article over again so you can ensure yourself a future in becoming a really good probate attorney.
