A legal studies degree teaches students about laws and its connection to economics, politics, and society. Legal study programs provide insights on legal effects of law and legality on economic and political systems. A candidate can pursue legal studies at bachelor’s as well as master’s degree levels.

Bachelor programs such bachelor of arts in legal studies place a strong emphasis on research, writing as well as reasoning skills. It also sheds light on historical and theoretical foundations of the law. It prepares the candidates for entry-level positions in the legal field or in fields where legal knowledge is expected or beneficial.

Topics that are covered in legal studies include constitutional interpretation, legal processes, preparing legal documents, legal analysis, and ethical principles. A prior coursework in judicial process or American government is recommended.

It is also suggested that students take ample writing courses as the field requires a large amount legal writing. Upon the completion of the course, the students will have a basic understanding of the constitutional principles of the U.S legal system, ethical consideration in law, administrative disputes and other fields.

There are internships also available with law firms, government agencies, and judges.

A master’s degree program in legal studies emphasizes more on legal research, analytical thinking, and legal writing, theory, and reasoning and the role of the entire legal system. Students pursuing master’s degree to prepare for fields like paralegal or legal understanding that is needed to work in fields as varied social science, law enforcement, criminal justice, human resources, education, forensics, real estate, and journalism. At this level, it usually focuses on legal process as well as analytical thinking. Some common coursework includes constitutional law, legal professional ethics, legal research, civil actions, legislative processes and business fundamentals.

Graduates of legal studies bachelor’s degree program are well versed with skills in drafting legal documents, interviewing clients and performing legal research. The graduation coursework equips the candidates with knowledge that can help them in legal fields such as law enforcement, criminal justice, forensics, social science, journalism, education and human resources. A bachelor’s can help the person find employment in legal assistance, court administrator, personnel administrator, law enforcement official, lobbyist, paralegal and claims examiner.
The master’s degree can help one find employment in paralegal, trademark law professionalism, dispute resolution professionalism and law office manager.

A last will and testament is a single legal document that specifies persons or charitable organizations that will be in possession of a person’s assets on his or her death. Historically, wills were means through which men without any heirs declared how their assets had to be disposed off after their death. The Greeks were the first ones to devise this legal document of bequest. Over time, the function of wills has remained the same. However, they are no longer applicable to just men without heirs, or to just the Greeks. Anyone and everyone can write their will.

It is advisable to draw up a last will and testament if you have significant wealth. A will is also crucial if, in case of you death, you want to hand over responsibility of your organization or want to assign guardianship of your children who are under the age 18 years. A will ensures that there are no conflicts between your relations with regards to the disposition of your property or responsibilities after your death. Having a last will and testament will prevent things from getting ugly between people related to you and also avoid encroachments on your assets.

You can write your own will if your requirements are straightforward. There are a number of templates and programs available online that can help you in drawing up your last will and testament. These templates are printable forms that simply require you to fill in the necessary details. However, make sure that you use templates and programs that follow the relevant laws of your state of residence. Although there is a common set of inheritance laws, every state can have it own set of laws that will differ from another state. For instance, the minimum number of witnesses required to sign your will in every state is two. However, there are some states that may require three witnesses. Also, only a few states permit handwritten last will and testament.

In the following cases, it is advisable to take the assistance of a lawyer to draw up your will:

• There is a possibility of a lot of intricate details. For instance, you want to specify legally-binding conditions that will be required to be satisfied by the beneficiaries of your will.
• Your assets are diverse spanning different geographical regions.
• You think there is a possibility of your will being contested in the court.

A lawyer can provide expertise regarding the legalities of writing your last will and testament. Also, in case, dealing with legalese and state laws unnerves you, it is best to take the assistance of a lawyer.

Whether you are writing your own will or taking the legal assistance for the same, make sure that the execution of your will follows all legal requirements. Otherwise, your will may become invalid. Become familiar with the laws of your state and do not hesitate to consult a legal expert.

Last will and testament spells out who will be the beneficiaries of your assets in the event of your death. Drawing up a last will and testament is a fairly intricate task. Sometimes it can bother on cumbersome as well since it involves a certain form of legalese and requires familiarity with state laws. It is quite common to take the assistance of a legal expert to ease the process of writing a last will and testament. However, these days you will find a number of online templates and programs that provide you with ready-made forms to write your last will. These online forms makes it easier and simpler for you to create your own last will and testament.

These forms are pre-formatted and just require you to fill in the necessary details. Before filling in the details, you need to acquaint yourself with some basic legal terms that will come up in the last will and testament form.

• Beneficiary: This term is used for anyone who receives a gift or benefits from a trust.
• Bequest: This term is used for testamentary gift (that is, a gift made by a will). This can be personal property, which traditionally can anything other than money.
• Testate – This term refers to the person who is deceased and had created a will before death.
• Testator – This term refers to the person who signs the will, that is, the person whose will it is.
• Executor: This term is used to refer to the person who is responsible for the execution of the will. Generally, the testator nominates an executor in the will.
• Legacy: This term is used to refer to a testamentary gift of money.
• Legatee – This term refers to the person who is a beneficiary of a legacy.
• Specific legacy (or specific bequest) – This term refers to a testamentary gift of a specific object.

Some of these terms may differ in different forms. Make sure to verify that you correcting understand the meaning of each and every term that occur in the form you have chosen to use. You will also have to ensure that your chosen form complies with the laws of the state you reside in. Making sure that you will is correct according all legal requirements avoids the hassles of your requests from becoming invalidate in the court of law. Although, the online last will and testament forms let you make your own will without a lawyer, it is advised that you consult a legal expert to ensure that your online will and testament meets all the necessary legalities.

A last will and testament is a legal document that lets the person who is making the will to give the authority of his or her property and possessions to the people of his or her choice. These individuals who are going to receive the property or possessions of the testator are known as the beneficiaries of the last will and testament. This legal document also lets you name a guardian who would be taking care of the minor children. The very purpose of a will is that the testator’s demands are to be fulfilled and not what is the default action of the state laws. Nowadays, you also have online legal will that also acts like a normal will. Read on to find out about the different advantages and disadvantages of online wills.

Advantages of online wills
Online wills are less expensive that hiring a lawyer. Cost is one of the most important factors when it comes to creating a last will and testament. There are a number of sites that specifically deals with online wills and have a limited price range. You do not have to charge an exorbitant price for making an online will.

Th online will do not take a lot of your time. So, if you have all the questions ready for creating the online will, then you can finish up the will very quickly. Therefore, the online legal wills are simple as well. On the other hand, if you are contacting an attorney for making the will, you will have to spend time in meeting him, explaining the details of your properties and possessions and then name the beneficiaries. And this also requires the extra lawyer charges.

There are also some cases wherein people are not uncomfortable sharing their death wishes with a stranger and therefore might find online wills more comfortable.

Disadvantages of online wills
As a last will and testament is a legal document, it needs to be reviewed by a professional. But online wills haven’t been reviewed by a professional. But if you are worried about getting a reviewed document, then you can always show the online will to a professional lawyer.

Online wills can also be one of those that does not suit your specific situation. And so, you might also not find the right website that will provide you with the correct will format.

There can be a case that the state laws might have been updated regarding last will and testament but the website has not been modified. In such a case, you will need to research well before you fill up any of the online will forms.

There is no such thing as an inexpensive lawyer. If they are inexpensive, they’re probably not very good or don’t have enough experience. Sometimes even the consultation fees are something that those in need are not able to pay. Now there are some groups that offer the services of a low-cost lawyer.

Legal aid agencies for assistance
The legal aid agencies are non-profit organizations that work toward providing legal services. These agencies aim to offer legal assistance to people who fall under a certain income level. One of the main things about legal aid agencies is that a person has to qualify for their services by falling under a fairly low-income group. Based on this, you need to furnish income proofs that help you get these low-cost lawyer services. It is also important to notice that these legal aid agencies do not help you with every legal case. They handle cases that deal with your everyday life such as public benefits, immigration, employment issues, family law, to name a few.

Referral services for lawyers
The referral services for lawyers are specially designed to help people find lawyers easily. These agencies can assist you with low-cost or free legal services. Here again, you need to qualify to get the free services. On the other hand, if you do not qualify for the services then they will find legal help for you. These referral services charge minimal consultation fees and the lawyer will also enlighten you on various services and how much should you pay for the same.

Dispute and disagreement redressal programs
You can see that there are communities who arrange for programs which are especially aimed at resolving disputes. These programs can help in solving the issues or matters by simply mediating the same and both the parties involved in the dispute can work out the problems. So, in this way, you would not need a lawyer to get legal services.

So next time when you are looking for a low-cost lawyer and legal services that do not put a hole in your pocket, keep these ideas handy. These legal services or legal aid agencies help you with basic consultations, which are necessary to form a base for your dispute or legal matter.

To be a lawyer one must put in several years of hard work and resolve, nevertheless it is a worthwhile experience. A lawyer’s job is so complex that it cannot be described in one line. But if simply put a lawyer safeguards the legal interests of his/her client, by representing them in the best possible manner.

Young aspirants must be aware of the rigorous yet systematic educational process for gaining a law degree. For earning the Juris Doctor degree, a prospective lawyer must have impeccable communication (both written and verbal), analytical and problem solving abilities. If you are contemplating about taking up law, here is how you can get a law degree and start your professional journey as a lawyer.

Bachelor’s Degree
If you are aiming to get into a law school, your first step should be completing your four-year long graduate degree. There is no such norm as to what specialization you need to pursue but try to hone your analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills. Although undergraduate degrees involving subjects like political science, writing, philosophy, economics, etc. can prove to be an added advantage due to its vast incorporation in law.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT), is one of the major elements for your law school application. This test basically comprises of multiple choice questions and essays. The LSAT assesses the quality of your knowledge in terms of critical thinking, coherent argumentative style, writing skills as well as analytical abilities.

Law School/ Juris Doctor degree (J.D.)
After getting into the law school of your choice, you will have to study for three more years to earn the Juris Doctor degree. For your first year, you will be studying fundamental courses related to constitution, federal laws, court room proceedings, legal writing, etc. Then you will get an opportunity to specialize in the kind of law subjects you’re interested in. It could be environmental, criminal, real estate, juvenile, intellectual property, education corporate law, etc.

Bar Exam
The final and the most crucial step is to take the bar exam. You are required to take the bar exam after completing your law school in the state where you are planning to practice as a lawyer. If you pass the exam you will be a legal, licensed attorney in that particular state. The bar exam is generally held for over two days comprising of multiple choice question categories and a sequence of extensive writing questions.

New lawyers can commence their careers by working in law firms as junior associates, where they can observe, learn and apply their skills. They can also acquire higher academic degrees like a master’s degree in law or a doctorate degree as they practice law.

Apart from the obvious legal qualifications and a stellar academic record, lawyers must also have several core competencies and soft skills to make the cut in the legal industry. While some of these qualities may be inherent, a select few can be honed and developed over time. Check out this list of some popular skills a good lawyer must possess.

Effective communication
A good orator who is articulate and agile with words and expressions is likely to be an efficient lawyer. The role of a lawyer requires her/him to extensively engage in effective exchange of words both in writing and in person. A lawyer is required to not only advocate your case but also negotiate a settlement. Clarity of expression, comprehensive usage of succinct language, persuasive communication and being an observant listener are some of the skills that come in handy when presenting a case. Most of these skills are either innate or developed during studying law and participating in moot courts or engaging in discussions.

Creativity
In addition to being critical, logical and analytical, a successful lawyer also requires to have creativity in decoding a complex case. Creativity can be applied in the way one solves problems, works out a settlement, takes nuances into account while building a case and the like.

Research skills
This is predictably one of the key skills for being a good lawyer. Dealing with a bulk of information, teasing out the core and successfully applying the relevant matter to the specific case in hand is something lawyers are continually expected to do.

Persuasion
Since the very idea of advocacy is to be convincing and persuasive, a good lawyer must have a way with words that can convince others of a conclusion or influence your judge to pursue a course of action.

Collaborative skills
Apart from being a people’s person, a lawyer is required to work efficiently in a multi-party setting. Lawyers who can collaborate with others can drive others to bring out the best in them while enhancing their own productivity.

Meticulous approach
A lawyer is required to possess a greater eye for detail and have excellent observation skills in addition to being sharp, alert and proactive. Due diligence in writing contracts and thorough research behind rationales are the prerequisites of a good lawyer.

New skill sets for the modern era
In addition to the commonly known skills mentioned above, a modern lawyer is also required to be well versed with additional competencies relevant in the 21st century. Some of these skills include emotional acumen, financial know how, technological affinity and the ability to manage projects.