What is STEP
STEP is considered to be the leading global professional association for legal practitioners who specialise in helping families plan for the future. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.
STEP members are specialists in inheritance and succession planning, drafting wills and trusts, administering estates, acting as trustees and advising families on how best to structure their finances to ensure compliance and preserve their assets for future generations.
What is a ‘TEP’?
‘TEP’ stands for ‘Trust and Estate Practitioner’ and is the designation given to full members of STEP. Becoming a full member of STEP (and the right use the designation ‘TEP’) requires the applicant to prove they have a combination of specialist qualifications and experience including a significant involvement at a specialist level with inheritance and succession planning. For many people this also involves completing a two year diploma covering topics such as administration of trusts and taxation.
Why is it important to use a solicitor who is also a full member of STEP?
There are several routes to becoming a solicitor and until recently the most usual route was completion of a law degree (three years), a postgraduate course (one year) followed by a two year training contract. By the time they qualify, a solicitor will have covered many different areas of law and will have a breadth of knowledge. Only once they qualify do they begin working in one area of law.
Solicitors who are TEPs have chosen to undertake further specialist training and this often this involves completion of a diploma (usually over two years). Before they are eligible to apply for full membership and TEP status they must also demonstrate that they have obtained a minimum of two years mid – senior experience.
Once TEP status has been obtained, TEPs are required to continue to develop and maintain the knowledge and skills. This means TEPs will always be up to date on the latest legal, technical and regulatory developments that may affect you and your situation.
Solicitors who are also TEPs are recognised as the being at the pinnacle of their profession and leading experts in their field.
Every solicitor at Spall Clark Solicitors is a full member of STEP and entitled to use the designation TEP. We are experts in advising individuals, couples and families on a wide range of personal issues including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate.
Further information about STEP can be found on the STEP website.
Contact us for a free initial discussion
For a confidential discussion about your legal matters, please contact us.
Our STEP qualified wills and probate expert Pam MurphyTEP can be contacted directly on 07708 046 410 or by email pam.murphy@spallclark.co.uk.
If your enquiry involves a family member living abroad or if you have assets abroad such as a holiday home, please contact our international and cross border expert Paul ClarkTEP directly on 07388 830 864 or by email paul.clark@spallclark.co.uk.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Information in this article has been reproduced from the STEP website.
