If you're interested in a career as a lawyer, you might want to learn about the work performed by estate planning attorneys. They help people plan for how their assets are distributed upon their death, a relatively simple step that makes dealing with a deceased loved one's possessions and wishes much easier for family and friends.
Helping People Develop Estate Plans
During a career as an estate planning lawyer, a document you will likely deal with most often is a will, a legal document that names guardians for children (if applicable) and designates a representative to dispose of a person's probate assets according to his or her written wishes. Probate assets are a person's possessions to whom no one else holds a legal claim, such as a spouse, at the time of the owner's death.The Power of Attorney
Another important estate planning document is the Durable Power of Attorney. This document designates someone appointed by the client to act on his or her behalf when he or she is unable to do so. The powers granted to this person may be very restricted or very broad, depending upon the client's preferences. Similarly, a Health Care Power of Attorney designates someone chosen by a client to make health care decisions on his or her behalf when he or she is unable to make them for him or herself.Living Wills
Estate planning lawyers may also help clients establish a Living Will, a document that formally states that the client does not want to be kept alive by artificial means. This directive may be opposed by some on philosophical grounds.Providing Important and Valued Services
A career as a lawyer can mean providing services to people to prepare for important developments in their lives. It's also a career that provides an important service that society places a high monetary value on--according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual earnings of lawyers providing legal services was $93,970 in 2002.Sources:
The American Bar AssociationThe Bureau of Labor
