Congratulations to Alan Porter of The Will Centre on passing STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England and Wales).

STEP is a unique professional body, the leading representative and training body for solicitors, barristers, accountants, will writers and other professionals who specialise in trusts and estate planning. STEP provides members and those affiliated to STEP with a local, national and international learning and business network focusing on the responsible stewardship of assets today and across the generations.

Now, more than ever, clients need properly qualified and capable will draftsmen to prepare their wills. Family structures have become increasingly complex over the years and private wealth has grown significantly. These factors are beginning to focus the spotlight on the competence of will writers and the threat to the public of poorly drafted wills. The client, or the client’s family, may not appreciate the risk until it is too late.

Even well drafted wills may not reflect the circumstances or real needs of the individual unless the will draftsman possesses the breadth and depth of knowledge to ask the right questions and to advise the client appropriately. To be a truly “trusted advisor” the practitioner needs a holistic knowledge across a range of technical areas and the client-facing skills to apply that knowledge in the right way.

This Advanced Certificate, the first of its kind at this level in will preparation, has been designed with this aim in mind: to develop the trusted will draftsman who can demonstrate through qualification that they have the knowledge and skills to provide an excellent service to their clients, whatever the client’s needs and circumstances.

Launched in 2011, the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation has been developed at the level of the STEP Diploma, the gold standard in the field of trusts and estates education. The core text has been written by Martyn Frost TEP and Toby Harris TEP, well-known writers, presenters and practitioners in the field of wills, estates and taxation. The Advanced Certificate is appropriate for professionals who have existing experience in will preparation.