A new Code which applies to all STEP members in England & Wales who prepare wills took effect on 1 April, bolstering the existing STEP Code of Professional Conduct.
The Code lays out a set of ethical principles that demonstrate openly the standard of transparency and service a client can expect from a STEP member such as Rooks Rider Solicitors in preparing their will. It provides a framework within which each STEP member who undertakes this area of work can determine the best way to meet the needs of each individual client – while at the same time operating within appropriate standards.
The Code has been introduced following the UK government’s decision not to introduce a statutory scheme in relation to will writing, requesting instead that professional bodies voluntarily bring in their own codes. In that context STEP has developed its own standards for members to adhere to.
For further information and an explanatory video, visit the STEP website http://www.step.org/code-for-will-preparation or contact Karen Methold.
