THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 6, 1995 TAG: 9505050073
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELITA PLEMMER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
MOVING THROUGH cuts, perms and pin-curls, Lona Liosatos' hands work magic on dozens of heads at Millie's Hairstyling on Tidewater Drive.
A beautician for 41 years, Liosatos has recently found herself dispensing more than just beauty secrets to the women who frequent her raised swivel chair.
At least once a week, you can find Liosatos giving armchair advice to clients on wills, trusts, tax shelters, divorce law and other legal matters.
``I had a friend who was separated from her husband for 20 years, and she didn't have a divorce,'' Liosatos said, as she teased a customer's hair. ``I told her to get a divorce because if she dies, her husband would still get half.''
``I did a living will after she talked to me,'' added Carolyn Papafil, a loyal customer who has frequented Liosatos' chair for nine years.
During a wash, shampoo and set, Papafil learned about the benefits of a living will and tax-sheltered investments.
``You discuss things throughout that you don't even think about,'' Papafil said. ``She's told me everything she was learning.''
Liosatos has never been to a three-year accredited law school. But she is a graduate of the People's Law School. For $15, wanna-be legal eagles like her get a six-week crash course in the law, a thick packet of outlines, a diploma suitable for framing and a T-shirt, if they attend every session.
The sessions consist of hour-long lectures or presentations by local lawyers and judges followed by question-and-answer sessions for students.
Participants learn the ins-and-outs of tax-sheltered investments that can finance a child's college education, the dos-and-don'ts of rental property, the pitfalls of oral contracts, and the myths and realities of personal injury lawsuits.
And starting Thursday, students can sign up for another session of classes that will focus solely on the O.J. Simpson trial. Local lawyers will critique Judge Lance Ito's performance on the bench and analyze other aspects of the trial.
Sponsored by the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, The People's Law School is in its second year with more than 100 students enrolled, including a private investigator, a high school student, a retired Navy commander, a truck driver and a day-care center operator.
More and more people are signing up for the classes held at Virginia Wesleyan College, said Virginia Von Volkenberg, an attorney with Breit, Drescher and Breit, a Norfolk law firm that provides staff and financial support for the school.
``We started it last February, and the response was so huge that we had hundreds of people that couldn't fit into the class,'' Von Volkenberg said. ``There are people from all ages and all walks of life.''
Classes like ``The Cagey Consumer,'' ``The Tax Man Cometh'' or ``Where there's a Will, there's a Way,'' provide students with useful information that's easy to understand.
``People need to know what their rights are and people need to know when they need an attorney and when they don't need an attorney,'' Von Volkenberg said.
``This provides a channel for people to know a little bit more about their legal system. And when people know a little bit more about their legal system, it helps everybody,'' she said.
Retired businessman Charles V. Whittemore is a graduate of the school and after attending the session on wills and trusts last year, he changed his will to a trust to avoid a large inheritance tax.
``I changed it to a family trust fund where, basically, I will manage it as long as I live and at my demise, my eldest son will handle it,'' Whittemore said. ``It's a considerable saving on inheritance taxes, but I think my biggest savings will be in the hassle of probating the will.''
Using a will, it could take as long as a year before any of his survivors saw any money, said Whittemore, the 75-year-old father of five children.
``With the trust fund, the property I own just automatically goes to the trustee and he can distribute it once any outstanding bills are paid,'' he said.
Bernard and Sandria Hughes are a lot wiser now as landlords when it comes to rental property because of a session on real estate law in The People's Law School. The couple learned that they can tailor a rental agreement to even the most minute details that may fit their needs.
``You get good general information,'' said Bernard Hughes. ``We did get some information that was very helpful.''
Ronald Moore is preparing for his children's future, using information he learned in a class about tax-sheltered investments.
With three children - the eldest already in college - Moore and his wife are looking for investments that will ensure enough earnings to finance the educations for their 14-year-old and 11-year-old.
``It's different ways you can go about saving that you didn't even know about until you took this class,'' Moore said.
``They give you specific pointers on ways you can put money aside in different accounts where you know your money will turn over.''
Now, Moore said, he is looking more closely at certificates of deposit instead of stocks because of the lesser risk.
``The course is worth $15,'' he said. ``It's a lot of information they pass on to you that you never knew about. So you're a step ahead of the game.''
For information about The People's Law School, call 456-1634. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Lawrence Jackson, Staff
The People's Law School, held at Virginia Wesleyan College,
conductts hourlong sessions led by local lawyers and judges.
by CNB