The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has introduced an Advanced Probate Exemption to provide Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) professionals with a clear and streamlined route to enhance their professional status and obtain a specialist licence from the CLC.
By securing a CLC licence to practice, STEP professionals gain defined practice rights as authorised persons under the Legal Services Act 2007. This licence enables practitioners to undertake reserved legal activities in their specialist area with full regulatory recognition, strengthening professional standing and providing assurance to clients and employers alike.
“The Advanced Probate Exemption provides a clear route for experienced STEP professionals, giving them confidence in their professional and legal status,” CLC director of authorisations Claire Richardson said.
“By uniting the expertise of a leading probate body and specialist regulator, it delivers a single route to recognised practising rights. For employers, it offers a practical solution to the shortage of authorised practitioners, while for practitioners it supports straightforward career advancement in a critical area of demand.”
Professionals holding the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation, along with either the STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Estates or in Administration of Trusts, can claim the CLC’s Advanced Probate Exemption. They will only need to complete the CLC’s professional obligations unit, Managing Client and Office Accounts, to meet the CLC’s professional qualification standard.
Anyone who hasn’t achieved the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation can choose to complete this with STEP. Alternatively, they can complete the CLC equivalent unit in Law of Wills, Succession and Grants of Representation.
To be eligible, STEP professionals’ advanced certificates should have been awarded within the last six years or, if older than six years, come with evidence of current STEP membership as confirmation that professional status has been maintained through ongoing competency and professional practice.
Helena Wilson, director of profession at STEP, said:
‘We are proud to see the value of STEP qualifications recognised in the Advanced Probate Exemption. This pathway provides STEP Advanced Certificate holders with a clear and efficient route to recognised practising rights with CLC.
“It reflects the strong alignment between our respective standards and our shared commitment to high-quality professional development. It is great to see that firms and STEP Employer Partners like Pavilion Row are already seeing the benefits, and we look forward to supporting many more practitioners through this route.”
Angus and Nicola Houston, founding directors of Pavilion Row, played a pivotal role in shaping the original probate exemption when they came into CLC regulation, the CLC said. As a specialist CLC-regulated probate firm and STEP Platinum Employer Partner, Pavilion Row helped lay the foundations for the Advanced Probate Exemption.
Now, with the firm leading in STEP learning and development and also as chairs of the CLC Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group, they remain at the forefront of driving employer demand for probate education and training.
Angus Houston, director at Pavilion Row, said:
“As a law firm, we are passionate about learning and development for all individuals, regardless of their experience or background. We believe in providing high-quality training so that our team can deliver the best possible service to our clients. In a sector where there is a growing need for experienced, specialist, and knowledgeable professionals, we see this pathway as an excellent alternative route for employees to gain their authorised status.
“STEP offers the benchmark level of technical knowledge, while the CLC provides consumer protection through authorisation and regulation. Having already supported staff through this route, we have seen first-hand how it both facilitates and promotes diversity within the workplace and enables employees to progress their careers at different stages of their lives, helping us build a more enriched and inclusive workforce.”
To find out more about the Advanced Probate Exemption, email traineelawyer@clc-uk.org.
