STEP news
Reminder for STEP membership renewal
Thank you to all members who have renewed their membership for another year. We look forward to continuing to support you.
If you have not already renewed your membership or if your company has paid but you have not yet agreed to the declaration, please do so today by logging in to the STEP website at www.step.org/step/login
Members in Canada should visit www.step.ca to renew their membership and agree to the declaration.
2024 Essay Route topics now online
The topics for the 2024 Essay Route to Full Membership are now available at www.step.org/join-step/essay-route-step-membership
Enrolment onto the Essay Route is open globally all year round, with essay submission deadlines in July and October. Any queries on this route can be directed to the Professional Development team at pd@step.org
Trusts Information Centre
STEP’s Trusts Information Centre is an online hub that pulls together information about trusts in one central space. Information provided includes trust types, uses and regulation. The centre’s resources also include case studies and FAQs. The hub aims to act as a trustworthy source of expert information about trusts and supports STEP’s work with policymakers.
You can find the Trusts Information Centre at www.step.org/press-office/trusts-information-centre
PCAs: Final call for entries
Showcase your achievements and those of your colleagues by entering the 19th Annual STEP Private Client Awards (PCAs). With 23 categories open to firms and individuals internationally and across the private client sector, the PCAs are a great opportunity to raise the profile of your team, firm and jurisdiction.
Winning an award is a clear mark of excellence, as entries go through a rigorous, practitioner-led judging process to select the best in the industry. Entries are open until 12 April, finalists will be announced in June and the awards ceremony will take place in London, UK, on 19 September 2024.
Find out more and start your entry today at pca.step.org
UK: New policy consultations
STEP recently responded to the House of Commons Justice Committee’s inquiry into delays across the England and Wales probate service. This was launched to explore resourcing and capability issues concerning the service, as well as the impact of digitisation. The centralisation and digitisation of the probate service has led to many long-serving staff leaving, resulting in a shortage of experienced staff. Consequently, STEP expressed the view that the probate service is not adequately resourced and a range of impacts of delays have been observed, including cancelled house sales and financial hardship for beneficiaries. STEP proposes secondment of probate staff to private practice law firms to gain experience quickly. STEP also recommends outsourcing complex cases to experienced law firms.
STEP’s UK Technical Committee has responded to a cross-departmental consultation on transparency of land ownership involving trusts. This consultation is held jointly by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, His Majesty’s Treasury, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Department for Business and Trade. This consultation process examines ways in which access to information on the Register of Overseas Entities can be widened when concerning trust information. It will also investigate how access to trust information can be more transparent and harmonised across government departments.
Finally, STEP is responding to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on the permanent storage and retention of original will documents. This consultation proposes reforms that will allow original will documents dating back to 1958 to be stored digitally and then destroyed. However, the wills of famous persons will be preserved.
All of STEP’s consultation responses can be found at www.step.org/public-policy/consultation-tracker
Guidance notes can be found at www.step.org/policy/technical-guidance-and-briefing-notes
For the latest policy news from STEP, visit www.step.org/public-policy/policy-news
Employer partnerships: Knowledge Café series
The STEP Employer Relationships team is delighted to have launched its Knowledge Café series. This follows growing interest from Employer Partners (EPs) in networking and will focus on sharing good practice around topics related to professional development within the trusts and estates industry. The first of these online events took place on 5 March.
This is just one of the exciting recent developments in the Employer Partnership Programme (EPP), which now boasts 104 EPs in over 500 offices across 40 jurisdictions and continues to maintain an excellent EP retention rate. If your organisation would like to join the programme, learn about wider profile-building opportunities or would like to put us in touch with an employer interested in learning about the EPP, visit www.step.org/employer-partnership-programme/employers
Student Liaison Workshops: In review
During the Student Liaison Workshop held in July 2023, some student liaison officers (SLOs) fed back that they wanted to feel more connected with STEP and its community. Taking on board this feedback, and aligned with STEP’s Even Better project, a series of quarterly virtual workshops have been arranged for 2024, providing more support from STEP and a chance to examine key areas of the SLO role. The first workshop was held on 24 January with a focus on event planning. Fourteen SLOs were in attendance across the morning and afternoon sessions, where they were asked to plan an event and present their findings to the group.
The sessions were supported by Kerri Linstead, STEP’s Head of Events, who gave feedback and shared tips on successful event planning. She also highlighted the information available on the Branch Portal that SLOs can access.
The next workshop is scheduled for 25 April and will be focused on engaging with students and members. This session will be facilitated by Matthew Gilligan TEP, who can share best practice.
Save the date
STEP Alpine Conference 2024
Secure your place at this year’s STEP Alpine Conference, which will take place on 22–23 May 2024 at Congress Kursaal, Interlaken, Switzerland. Topics on the agenda include the digitisation of the trust industry and the influence of artificial intelligence; how to mimic the effects of a marriage through trusts, contracts and powers of attorney; and succession planning for families holding family companies in Liechtenstein.
View the full agenda at www.stepevents.org/alpine2024
Volunteer opportunities
STEP’s Diploma Working Group
Vacancies are available on STEP’s Diploma Working Group, which is responsible for raising the profile of the new STEP Diploma with a range of stakeholders.
The group is also responsible for identifying opportunities to actively promote the new Diploma framework to new audiences for STEP membership, as well as reviewing any new product development proposals in line with the Diploma framework ahead of consideration by the Professional Development Committee.
STEP is looking for TEPs from the Caribbean, England and Wales, and other international jurisdictions who understand STEP’s educational offering criteria and are sufficiently experienced in their field to be able to review new product development proposals.
To apply, email pd@step.org with a copy of your CV and a cover letter outlining why you are suitable for joining the group.
Markers, examiners and external examiners
Do you want to be a part of the future of professional education? Do you possess relevant professional qualifications, with practical experience and a desire to contribute to the excellence of CLT International (CLTI) and STEP?
CLTI is looking for markers, examiners and external examiners across a wide range of STEP courses. Further details can be found at www.step.org/members/committee-vacancies
CPD Audit complete
STEP has now completed its continuing professional development (CPD) audit for 2022/23. As a result of the audit, 51 of the 313 selected members have been suspended.
Suspensions arise when individuals do not engage with the audit or fulfil the criteria. Submissions that fail the audit are reviewed by members of the CPD advisory panel.
We will be undertaking an analysis of the audit’s findings and will report on this in the coming months.
STEP Moves
• Sandra Meade TEP has replaced Barry Kennelly TEP as Chair of STEP Ireland.
• Aileen Keogan TEP has replaced Sandra Meade TEP as Deputy Chair of STEP Ireland.
• Lydia McCormack TEP has replaced Padraic Grennan TEP as Secretary of STEP Ireland.
• Emer Lyons TEP has replaced Siobhán O’Moore TEP as Treasurer of STEP Ireland.
• Juan Pablo Demichelis TEP has replaced Felipe Alberto López López TEP as Chair of STEP Mexico.
• Berenice Carrasquedo López TEP has replaced Juan Pablo Demichelis TEP as Secretary of STEP Mexico.
• Felipe Alberto López López TEP has replaced Berenice Carrasquedo López TEP as Treasurer of STEP Mexico.
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