By Sara Sheppard – FSWW TEP
As you all know I am a Fellow of the Society of Will Writers (FSWW), and when I first started SLS Wills and Law in 2017, I was looking for an additional governing body to enhance my business, to benefit me in my career and to build trust for my clients alongside my membership of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). I felt that SWW offered me support, not only from a business point of view, but also their ethics were aligned with mine.
In 2019, I was invited to become part of the SWW Professional Standards Board, whose aim was to provide best practice help for our members and to raise standards within our profession. The SWW have always been constituted to have an advisory panel but the new PSB had slightly different aims.
Having worked in the regulated field prior to starting my business I have seen both good and bad practices on both sides, and initially, I was sceptical as to whether I could make a difference within the unregulated will-writing profession. By joining the PSB, I hope to be able to contribute to raising professional standards.
Since joining the PSB, we have seen several projects launched which are designed to help SWW members (the new annual audit form and members handbook, as well as regular links with the regional chairs, so that they feel supported). The biggest project of all is still in progress and is likely to be released in sections, otherwise, members could be waiting for a very long time – a handbook of best practices including potential templates and letters.
Another function of the PSB is to act as a final arbitrator when complaints are made against members which cannot be settled through the Society’s function as a mediator, and it delights me that relatively few complaints actually come through to the PSB for us to deal with – something that all of us can be proud of as it means that our members are trying to maintain high standards, and if something goes wrong, on the whole, they are dealing with it professionally.
Recently an issue arose within our Society, and the profession as a whole, which I am so pleased that we, as board members, agreed was not acceptable and in conjunction with Anthony Belcher (Head of SWW), we were able to agree on a change to the Code of Conduct to close a loophole. Sometimes, we have to fight for what we believe to be right, and for me, being part of the PSB helps me to fight for what I believe is right and will help to raise professional standards in the longer term.
