We all own an estate. Did you know that? Your pen, laptop, and bank savings all form a part of your estate which you can pass on in life or on death. How can you, as an ethically minded, competent and newly qualified solicitor help your client to make a will, set up a trust, invest their assets and save on taxes? What advice would you provide to administrators of estates about dealing with the estate of a deceased person while protecting themselves from liability?
From the start of a solicitor’s involvement in estate planning to administration you will learn how to analyse and evaluate complex rules, principles and procedures to help clients structure their estate efficiently, to protect their wealth for the future (including the use of trust instruments), to provide for those dearest to them and minimise tax liabilities.
Armed with the knowledge and skills obtained in this module, you will be in a great position to undertake the first essential step towards qualifying as an ethically grounded Solicitor in England & Wales. That's because the module provides the functioning legal knowledge you need to pass the wills, trusts and administration of estates component of Solicitor’s Qualifying Examinations 1 (SQE1).
Workshops - 32 hours.
Independent Study 118 hours.
Assessment Preparation 50 hours.
Written- Short writing piece- Legal Writing (1,000 words). Worth 40% of the total marks for the module
Written -Extended writing -Case and matter analysis (2,000 words). Worth 60% of the total marks for the module
Reassessment methods: Like-for-like
For current reading list see the detailed module information on moodle.
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Select, analyse, evaluate and apply relevant facts, core legal principles or rules to realistic client-based scenarios involving the law of wills, trusts and the administration of estates.
2) Competently select, analyse, evaluate and apply core principles or rules that govern the practice and procedures relevant to the law of wills, trusts and the administration of estates.
3) Make competent, critical judgements under conditions of uncertainty about complex legal problems involving the law of wills, trusts and the administration of estates.
4) Evaluate and apply relevant ethical, legal, professional, or regulatory standards or duties in the context of wills, trusts and the administration of estates.
5) Compose and communicate legal information relating to the law of wills, trusts and administration of estates to an acceptable professional standard.
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