Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Encyclopedia
STEP was founded by George Tasker
in 1991 and is the international professional body for workers in the trust
industry and the (often overlapping) field of estate administration
. Its members are mainly solicitors, barristers, attorneys
, accountants, trust officers and trust administrators as well as banking and insurance
professionals in the trust field. STEP has branches in 33 countries with a current membership in excess of 14,500.
The main focus of the organisation is to administer the examination process to ensure the quality of the membership, to provide educational and networking opportunities for STEP members at branch level and to contribute to debate and public policy in its specialist field.
The current president of STEP worldwide is Geoffrey Shindler
, who was appointed in November 2006. He is a UK qualified solicitor
and one of the founder members of the organisation. The current Chairman of STEP is Michael Young a Bath based practitioner elected in November 2009. Former Chairman Rosemary Marr was elected as vice-president in November 2009.
The professional staff include CEO David Harvey, and Directors Amanda Seal, Elaine Crehan and Keith Johnston
.
The designation TEP after a member's name is the only widely recognised mark for professionals in the trust
and estate administration
industry.
The 19 founder members of STEP, ie those who signed its memorandum of association in 1991 were: Timothy Bennett; Richard Citron; Owen Clutton; Jonathan Cooke; Andrew East; Anthony Holmes; Simon Jennings; James Kessler QC; Thomas Mallett; Ralph Ray; Tony Sherring; Geoffrey Shindler
; George Tasker; Arthur Thompson; Nigel Trumper; Timothy Vollans; David Ward; Robert Whillis; George Williams.
George Tasker
George Tasker conceived and founded The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners in 1991 and was Chairman for three years, after which he was elected its first worldwide President. STEP was founded with the express aim of uniting together all of the practitioners in the trust and estate field and...
in 1991 and is the international professional body for workers in the trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
industry and the (often overlapping) field of estate administration
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
. Its members are mainly solicitors, barristers, attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, accountants, trust officers and trust administrators as well as banking and insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
professionals in the trust field. STEP has branches in 33 countries with a current membership in excess of 14,500.
The main focus of the organisation is to administer the examination process to ensure the quality of the membership, to provide educational and networking opportunities for STEP members at branch level and to contribute to debate and public policy in its specialist field.
The current president of STEP worldwide is Geoffrey Shindler
Geoffrey Shindler
Geoffrey Shindler OBE is a UK solicitor specialising in the field of Wills, Trusts and Estates law. He is a graduate of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor in 1969...
, who was appointed in November 2006. He is a UK qualified solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and one of the founder members of the organisation. The current Chairman of STEP is Michael Young a Bath based practitioner elected in November 2009. Former Chairman Rosemary Marr was elected as vice-president in November 2009.
The professional staff include CEO David Harvey, and Directors Amanda Seal, Elaine Crehan and Keith Johnston
Keith Johnston
Keith Johnston is a Council member of the London-based Chartered Institute of Public Relations . Keith is currently the Director of Policy and Communications at the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Born in a council house in Aberdeen on 13 December 1974, Keith studied history at Glasgow...
.
The designation TEP after a member's name is the only widely recognised mark for professionals in the trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
and estate administration
Administration of an estate on death
In English law, Administration of an estate on death arises if the deceased is legally intestate. In United States law, the term Estate Administration is used....
industry.
The 19 founder members of STEP, ie those who signed its memorandum of association in 1991 were: Timothy Bennett; Richard Citron; Owen Clutton; Jonathan Cooke; Andrew East; Anthony Holmes; Simon Jennings; James Kessler QC; Thomas Mallett; Ralph Ray; Tony Sherring; Geoffrey Shindler
Geoffrey Shindler
Geoffrey Shindler OBE is a UK solicitor specialising in the field of Wills, Trusts and Estates law. He is a graduate of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor in 1969...
; George Tasker; Arthur Thompson; Nigel Trumper; Timothy Vollans; David Ward; Robert Whillis; George Williams.