Thursday September 02 2010

Examinations & Training

Examinations

Examinations are held quarterly. The examination consists of a 1½ hour written paper and a role play taking Will instructions and a Will drafting exercise. For details of our next IPW and ISPW examinations, please see the Diary.

Qualified Practitioners

Anyone wishing to join the IPW or the ISPW who has at least 5 years of experience within the Willwriting sector can elect to complete 4 written assignments.

Applicants are required to select 4 of their recent clients whose advised solutions demonstrate the competence of the applicant. It is suggested that these case studies should include a single person, a young couple with young children and an elderly couple wanting to protect their estate.

For each case the applicant is required to submit;

a copy of the client instruction sheet
a copy of the Will(s) and any other documents prepared for the client(s)
a written commentary of the issues surrounding the client and the advice given and the reasons for the rejection of any particular advice if appropriate.

Before submitting any copy documentation the applicant should remove any information which enables the client(s) and anyone named in their documents from being identified – by removing surnames and first parts of addresses.

All four assignments must be submitted in total and at the same time.

Exemptions

Exemptions from either of the above assessments are available to anyone who:

has a current practicing certificate from the Law Society (or the Law Society in Scotland) or a certificate which has lapsed within the last 6 months and can demonstrate that they have experience in Willwriting in the last 3 years or in the period since they obtained their practicing certificate if this is less
has achieved at least a Diploma in Trusts and Estates with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and can demonstrate that they have experience in Willwriting in the last 3 years or in the period since they achieved their qualification if this is less
has achieved at least ILEX Level 3 Certificate in Law & Practice in either Elderly Client Practice or Probate Practice and can demonstrate that they have experience in Willwriting in the last 3 years or in the period since they achieved their qualification if this is less
has achieved a qualification of at least equivalent level to the above as approved by the Institute and can demonstrate that they have experience in Willwriting in the last 3 years or in the period since they achieved their qualification if this is less

TRAINING

All training is provided by The Willwriting Academy Limited, a training company wholly owned by the IPW and the ISPW.

For Full and Affiliate Members who want to take instructions for Wills and to draft Wills.

Introduction to Willwriting Course

A one-day course held four times each year covering the basics and practicalities of becoming a professional willwriter and running a successful practice.

Willwriting in Practice Course

A three-day course, held four times each year, one month before each examination, expanding on the introductory course and equipping the student for a programme of home-study leading up to the examination. The course includes both legal theory and the practical skills necessary to ascertain a client's needs and circumstances in order to provide them with an appropriate Will.

Recommended Text Books

The Institute recommends the following for home-study:-

Parker's Modern Wills Precedents (6th Edition) published by Tottel. Exclude from study Chapters 15 and 16.

For Associate Members who want to take instructions for Wills only.

Taking Will Instructions Course and Examination

A one-day course held six times each year covering the basics of taking Will instructions and giving advice to clients. The day ends with a 1 hour written examination paper and a role play taking Will instructions.

Continuing Professional Development

The Institute has a programme of Continuing Professional Development to ensure that members develop their skills and keep abreast of changes in the law in order to offer a first-class service to their clients.

Courses

The Willwriting Academy runs regular specialist courses on topics related to Wills, such as Powers of Attorney, Probate, Confirmation & Estate Administration, Advising Elderly Clients, Inheritance Tax Planning.

All courses run by the Willwriting Academy are open to non-members. Details of forthcoming events are published in the Diary area of this website and also on the Willwriting Academy website, www.willwriting-academy.org.uk where courses may be booked on line.

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