Member Q&A - Susan Fielding TEP

How did you get involved with STEP in the beginning?

The partner I worked for initially at Jackson McDonald, Adam Levin, was a member of STEP. Justice Gzell convinced Adam to start a branch in Western Australia (WA) and Adam asked me to join the committee to establish the branch, which was originally to be called STEP Perth.

What kind of changes have you seen since then?

While I was Chair of the branch, I saw it grow from an enthusiastic committee with one STEP member to a branch with approximately 90 STEP members. Originally holding occasional educational seminars, the committee later decided on and implemented a programme of nine educational seminars a year and a Christmas party in December.

You have recently been awarded a STEP Founder’s Award for your work with STEP WA. What does this award mean to you?

It is a great honour. I also consider that it is an award for all the hard-working committee members and my secretary, paralegal staff and some of the law graduates at Jackson McDonald, who enabled me to carry out all the ideas I had to build up the membership of STEP WA. Among other things, I started a branch newsletter, drafted the original constitution for the branch, represented the branch’s interests at the early meetings for STEP Australia, organised speakers on a variety of subjects relating to trusts and estates and obtained provider status from the Western Australian Legal Practice Board for the branch to provide seminars for compulsory professional development.

As a member of the Mental Capacity Special Interest Group (SIG) Steering Committee for nine years, I was inspired to organise a half-day seminar on mental capacity. This was taken up by the branch committee after I retired as Chair and they organised a full-day conference, which, in turn, led to STEP Australia organising the recent successful mental capacity conference at the Gold Coast. As I have always been interested in continuing legal education, I have been on the planning committee for STEP Australia conferences.

You have recently joined the STEP Journal Editorial Board. What made you want to be involved with the publication?

Following my retirement from the branch committee, I thought that it was important the branch under its new Chair should get on with it without me looking over their shoulder, although I was always available to provide support if needed. I see my role on the Editorial Board for the STEP Journal as an extension of my interest in continuing education for trust and estate practitioners.

What makes a successful, trusted advisor?

Every client is different and needs individual advice. A trusted advisor must know the law and the practice and apply it in a timely and practical way, taking into account the client’s personal and financial circumstances. It is also essential that a client who provides the advisor with confidential information knows that the confidence will be kept. Finally, an advisor should have a clear understanding of who their client is.

What has been your greatest professional achievement?

I am honoured to have been made a Life Member of the Law Society of Western Australia and to have received the STEP Founder’s Award. However, looking back over my time in practice I feel lucky that I was able to practise at a time when the costs pressures were not as great as now. I was able to act for a great variety of clients on a wide range of matters. I have also had the opportunity to have had many young lawyers work with me over the years and it is very satisfying to see how they have developed to become first-class lawyers.

What would you say to members considering getting more involved?

I have always encouraged members to get involved in STEP if they have time. I have got far more back from my involvement with STEP than I have put into it.