STEP Membership Categories

There are various different levels of STEP membership, with the highest being Full Member (TEP)

Members can choose to start their journey at the introductory student level, join as an affiliate if they have the prior knowledge and/or experience or (for senior professionals who have a minimum of 10 years industry experience and proven qualifications) join directly as a Full Member.

Full Member (TEP)

This is the top level of STEP membership. Full Members are qualified practitioners with proven qualifications and experience.

Full Members must adhere to STEP’s Code of Professional Conduct, undertake continuing professional development, and hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Full Members are entitled to vote at the annual general meeting and to stand for Council and Board Committees, in addition to branch and regional committees.

Full Members have exclusive use of the ‘TEP’ designation and STEP logo to enhance their profile in the industry, and promote their specialist knowledge to both clients and colleagues.

How to join as a Full Member

Associate Member

This is STEP’s mid-level membership category. Associates are either working towards gaining the requisite qualifications and/or experience required to become Registered Trust and Estate Practitioners, or have elected to remain at the Associate level.

Associates must adhere to STEP’s Code of Professional Conduct, undertake continuing professional development, and hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Associates are eligible to volunteer for STEP branch and regional committees.

Associates can use the term ‘STEP Associate’ on their CV, business cards, stationery and email signature. 

It is not possible to join STEP directly as an Associate. Only Affiliate members can upgrade to this category. Find out how to upgrade to Associate membership

Affiliate Member

This is STEP’s entry-level membership category. Affiliates are practitioners who:

• are working towards gaining the requisite qualifications and/or experience required to gain Associate or TEP status; or
• have elected to remain at the Affiliate level following completion of a relevant STEP diploma or advanced certificate; or
• have joined at the Affiliate level based on Approved Prior Learning and shall remain at this level unless they complete additional qualifications.

Affiliates can use the term ‘STEP Affiliate’ on their CV, business cards, stationery and email signature.

Affiliates must adhere to STEP’s Code of Professional Conduct, undertake continuing professional development, and hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Affiliates are eligible to volunteer for STEP branch and regional committees.

How to join as an Affiliate Member

Student Status

Student status is granted to those studying an entry-level STEP qualification. Students are eligible to become Affiliates once they have accumulated the requisite number of credits from qualifications.

Students receive a variety of STEP benefits and services but students are not recognised as Members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Whilst Students are expected to adhere to STEP’s Code of Professional Conduct, they are not subject to the Society’s Rules (Disciplinary Rules, Continuing Professional Development), or required to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance while in this non-member category.

How to join as a Student

Retired Member

• Members who have retired from practice and wish to retain their association with STEP
• Membership is renewed annually at a reduced fee

Retired Full Members can use the designation ‘Retired TEP’. Visit the Reduced Membership page to apply for Retired membership.

Restricted Member

Restricted membership is granted to Full, Associate and Affiliate Members who are not working in the trusts and/or estates industry due to: ill health; career break; maternity/paternity leave; are on secondment with another company. Restricted Members qualify for a reduced subscription and membership is renewed annually.

Visit the Reduced Membership page page for more information.

Specific membership queries should be directed to step@step.org

Emeritus, Honorary and Judicial Members

Emeritus Members

Emeritus Membership is awarded to those who have made a unique and exceptional contribution to STEP. Our Emeritus Members are:

• Mr Edward Buckland (Jersey)
• Mr Michael Cadesky (Canada)
• Mrs Clare Colacicchi (England and Wales)
• Ms Nancy Golding (Canada)
• Mr Nicholas Jacob (England and Wales)
• Mrs Helene-Anne Lewis (BVI)
• Mrs Rosemary Marr (Jersey)
• Mr Simon Morgan (Jersey)
• Mr Richard Pease (Switzerland)
• Mr Geoffrey Shindler OBE (England and Wales)
• Mrs Patricia Wass (England and Wales)
• Mr Michael Young (England and Wales)

Honorary Members

Honorary membership is awarded to those who have made a unique and exceptional contribution to the field of trusts and estates, whether in their own jurisdiction or internationally. Our Honorary Members are:

• Professor Rose-Marie Antoine (Caribbean)
• The Right Honourable Lady Justice Arden DBE (England and Wales)
• Professor David English (USA)
• The Honourable Mr Justice David Hayton LLD (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Professor W A Lee (Australia)
• The Right Honourable Lord Mackay of Clashfern FRSE (Scotland)
• Mr Geoffrey Shindler OBE (England and Wales)
• Gurbachan Singh (STEP Singapore)
• Professor Luc Thévenoz (Switzerland)
• Professor Albert Oosterhoff (Canada)

Judicial Members

Judicial membership of the Society is open to any individual who is appointed to a full-time judicial post where there is a significant element of trust and estate work. Our Judicial Members are:

• The Honourable Justice Neville Adderley (Bahamas)
• Dame Sarah Asplin DBE QC (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Justice Roslyn Atkinson (Australia)
• Bailiff William Bailhache (Jersey)
• The Honourable Ms Justice Marie Baker (Republic of Ireland)
• Madam Justice Sandra K Ballance (Canada)
• Sir Michael Birt (Jersey)
• Sir William Blackburne (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Mr Justice Bokhary (Hong Kong)
• Registrar Christopher Boyle (Australia)
• Registrar Sandra Boyle (Australia)
• The Right Honourable Lord Justice Briggs (England and Wales)
• Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith (Jersey)
• The Right Honourable Lord Justice Drummond Young (Scotland)
• The Honourable Justice Arthur Emmett (Australia)
• Sir Edward Christopher Evans-Lombe (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Justice Paul Finn (Australia)
• Judge Lewis Goldblatt (South Africa)
• The Honourable Justice Gray (Australia)
• The Honourable Justice William Gummow AC QC (Australia)
• The Right Honourable Professor Sir Robin Jacob (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Mr Justice Craig M Jones (Canada)
• The Right Honourable Lord Justice Lewison (England and Wales)
• Sir Gavin Lightman (England and Wales)
• Mr Denzil Lush, Senior Judge, Court of Protection (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Justice Ann Lyons (Australia)
• The Honourable Justice Debra Mullins (Australia)
• The Honourable Justice Nettle QC (Australia)
• The Honourable Mr Justice Nugee (England and Wales)
• The Honourable Justice Pagone (Australia)
• Sir Jonathan Parker (England and Wales)
• Judge Owen Rogers (South Africa)
• The Honourable Anthony Smellie QC (Cayman Islands)
• The Honourable Lord Tyre CBE QC (Scotland)
• The Right Honourable Lord Justice Vos (England and Wales)
• The Right Honourable Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe (United Kingdom)
• The Honourable Mr Justice Peter Young AO (Australia)
• Justice Phillip Hallen (Australia)
• Judge Bernard Porter KC (Australia)
• Madam Justice Bernadette Dietrich KC (Canada)
• Justice Michael Meek (Australia)                    
• Justice Julie Ward (Australia)                                    
• Registrar Mark Fatharly (Australia)                
• Justice Geoffrey Lindsay (Australia)
• Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith (Jersey)
• Mr Lance Waumsley (England and Wales)
• His Honour Judge Paul Matthews (England and Wales)
• Justice Alan Wilson (Australia)
• District Judge Erica Stary (England and Wales)