Become a Member

The role of the Society as a self-regulatory body is to both ensure that its Members are properly trained and indemnified and to ensure that the public are reassured as to the competence of the practitioner and that they have recourse in the event of a complaint

The Society of Will Writers is a non-profit making body which seeks to serve the interests of those men and women who are active professionals in our field, and by formal study and experience, have built up the expertise necessary to practice.

The designatory letters of the Society’s grades - Cmpn.SWW, FSWW, ASWW, and MSWW and Aff.SWW- are a public assurance of their bearers’ expertise and competence. They indicate men and women who deserve proper recognition for their valuable work.

The value of Membership to the individual lies in being seen to belong to a professional body consisting exclusively of people who have proved their ability as Will Writers, and their willingness to uphold the highest professional standards whilst working under the Society’s Code of Practice.

The ‘Seal’ of the Society is seen as the ‘Seal of Quality and Assurance’ and that it is the Members responsibility to uphold this belief by ensuring that they themselves are properly trained and keep themselves abreast of changes in legislation relating to our profession and that they “maintain in force a Professional Indemnity policy either through the Society or with an approved insurer with a wording that complies with the Society’s minimum requirements”.

Will Writing practitioners who will not commit themselves to ‘self-regulation’ fail their clients, themselves and the profession. The public have a moral as well as legal right to protection against poorly trained practitioners.

EDUCATION

Education and training are of paramount importance, both to the individual and for the profession.

The College of Will Writing, the personal development division of The Society of Will Writers offers correspondence, residential and soon on-line induction and consultancy courses. A range of specialised training courses of one day and half-day duration are being planned dealing with all aspects of Will Writing and the law relating to it.

With regular amendments and updates to the law, on-going training to obtain your CPD is seen as essential to ensure that practitioners are kept up to date with changes as they occur.

Sales and marketing techniques are another area where the Society has identified a need for additional training and support.

The College Prospectus is enclosed with details of courses and fees.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

CPD, is a means of the individual measuring their own professional development and for others to visibly see and gauge their progress, and is mandatory for all members to achieve at least the minimum 16 hours each year.

To help members, the College of Will Writing has now launched an on-line system whereby members can achieve a maximum of 12 hours CPD, the balance being achieved through study, attendance at regional groups, conference and external meetings where the subjects are relevant to our profession.

Full details are included with this pack, but simply as a full member, you will be required to attend a minimum of 16 hours structured training each year work to comply. As a consultant (Aff.SWW) the minimum is 16 hours total each year. Other relevant CPD work can be used towards your requirement.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• To assist men and women with the necessary education, ability and experience to advance in the Will Writing profession, and to secure proper public recognition of their professional status.

• To facilitate the advancement and spreading of knowledge within the profession by, inter alia, publishing a journal for periodic distribution to Members and providing views on matters of professional interest.

• To promote high standards of conduct and competence within the profession by providing a means of measuring professional competence by examination, practical testing or otherwise. To encourage Members to develop their skills and to progress with the profession.

• To assist Members to indemnify themselves against claims in respect of liabilities incurred in the exercise of their profession, and to protect the mutual interests of Members.

• To provide opportunities for contact between Members, to form local and regional groups and organise functions for that purpose.

• To raise public awareness of the importance of a legally valid Last Will and Testament

Membership Grades

There are three grades for FULL membership of which one may apply:
Member (MSWW)
Associate (ASWW)
Fellow (FSWW)

Member
All applications for full membership will be based upon this grade, applicants who have successfully completed a recognised training course, may apply for Associate Grade, applications should be supported by additional information.

Associate Member
This grade is recognition of those individuals who by study have attained qualifications in their own discipline which may be allied to, but not necessarily Will Writing, i.e. FPC3 certification. Application to this grade must be supported by evidence of satisfactory pass.

Fellow Member
Applications to this grade will in all cases be subject to the applicant meeting one or more of the following criteria:
i) Successfully completed the College Diploma Course (CWW.dip)
ii) Successfully completed a fully recognised legal course (L.LB.) and have studied Succession as a core module
iii) Attained sufficient CPD's through ongoing training
iv) Passed an examination to demonstrate their ability
v) self-certification

Affiliated Membership
To further promote the standing of the Society and Member Organisations, the Affiliated membership grade exists to encourage ‘Consultants’ to join the Society at reduced rates. This grade carries the designatory letters Aff.SWW. Affiliated members can avail themselves of any or all of the facilities offered by the Society. The individual must work within a company or organisations who are themselves FULL Members of the Society, and as such accept liability for that individual. Affiliated members are allowed to show on their business cards that are “Affiliated Members” of [Name of Company] who are Members of the Society of Will Writers. A member who employs consultants must register all their consultants either employed or self-employed, to enable the company to call itself ‘Members of The Society of Will Writers’.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership to the Society may take the form of individual, accredited organisation or Affiliated Membership. The Society reserves the right to refuse any application without having to give any reason.

The Society shall have the right in its absolute discretion to request documentary evidence or other proof it deems necessary to support any application.

Election to a specific grade of Membership may be subject to receipt of references or further references. Where election is made subject to references, the applicant may not publicise or display the fact that they are Members until such time as full registration has been completed and confirmed by the Society.

Only membership of the Society confers the right to use the crest of the Society and the approved wording and the designatory letters denoting the grade. In the event of membership being revoked, suspended or not renewed by failure to forward the annual subscription, the member must cease to display all and any reference to the Society.

HOW TO JOIN

The criteria given in the section relating to ‘Grades’ will assist applicants to judge their appropriate grade, but the Applications Committee will decide the grade at which the applicant should be admitted.

1) The application form should be completed, signed and dated, returned to the Society’s head office together with the application fee and first year’s annual subscription.

2) The Applications Committee meet at least every two weeks, more frequently if there is a high intake of applications. Applicants are informed of the outcome following the meeting.

3) The New Members Certificate and Welcome Pack will follow, usually within ten days. Once elected Members have the right to use the designatory letters and display the Society’s Seal on their paperwork.

4) If any applicant is unsure of any details they are advised to telephone the Society’s head office for further information.

FURTHER INFORMATION

All the products and services contained within this Introduction to the Society of Will Writers are covered in more detail in their own individual leaflets. All new Members will receive the information and fee structures as part of their Welcome Pack.

However if, in the meantime, you would like more detailed information and costs, please contact our office direct who will be pleased to discuss these with you or send the information, or visit our web site at www.willwriters.com

The Society is constantly reviewing the services and products that it offers to Members and if you have any comments or suggestions we would like to hear from you.

We look forward to welcoming you to our Society in the near future.

MEMBERSHIP FEES (May 2011)

Application Fee £50 (single payment)
All applications to full membership carry an application fee and must be
included with the application form.

Public Indemnity Fund £25 (single payment)
All applications must include this payment at the time of application (further
details enclosed)

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
First subscription should be submitted with the completed application form or a completed standing order mandate enclosed.

Fellow Member (FSWW) £275 pa (£24.30* per month)
Associate Member (ASWW) £275 pa (£24.30* per month)
Member (MSWW) £275 pa (£24.30* per month)

All applications will be based on Member grade and applicants should support an application for a higher grade with as much supporting documentation and information with regard to relevant qualifications and experience as possible Notification of the Applications Committee decision that requirements have been met and the grade awarded will be forwarded to the applicant within two weeks.

*Monthly payments of subscriptions do incur small admin charge

Contact The Society on 0800 838270 if you require further information

To apply to become a member please click here