Welcome to your new digital Journal

We are delighted to introduce our brand-new digital platform to STEP members, bringing you a sophisticated and immersive reading experience that changes how you can engage with the publications. 

As you explore the new-look STEP Journal, you will see the quality of the content you have grown to trust and expect hasn’t changed. In fact, the move to digital has only allowed us to introduce a range of innovative features designed to enhance your experience that we hope you enjoy! 

 

My Journal: a personalised experience

The My Journal section has three tools members can use: 

  • My personalised feed: curate a tailored feed, based on your topic and region preferences. This section updates when new articles are published, so you’ll always be up to date.
  • My saved articles: save articles to read for later – you’ll always be able to find your favourite articles from the STEP Journal and TQR, all in one convenient spot. 
  • My CPD: log articles you’ve read, along with what you’ve learnt, as part of your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement. Reflections are also saved to your member profile.

You can only access these member-only features if you are logged in, so make sure you do this now to ensure you get the most out of this platform. Your login details are the same as for the rest of the STEP website, and if you are logged in elsewhere on the STEP website, you’ll stay logged in here.

 

Interact and engage

The new platform allows you to engage more with the content and other members. You can do more than just read articles – as well as the above features, you can scroll to the bottom of each page to comment, share or save the article, engage in polls and view a range of multimedia content. At the end of each article, you’ll find other articles related to the topic. You’ll also be able to view author profiles and see other articles they have contributed to the STEP Journal and the TQR.

 

Inclusive and accessible

Do you want to read the Journal in another language? Do you struggle with font sizes or certain colours? Would you prefer to listen to the articles? 

This new digital platform provides instant accommodations to those with specific needs. Just click on the blue accessibility symbol in the corner of your page to provide a full menu of accessibility options, such as ADHD- and dyslexia-friendly fonts and functions, the ability to pause flashing page elements that may trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy or similar conditions, plus colour-blindness adaptations and a screen reader (with more than 50 languages available) for those with visual impairments. Please note that all articles are originally written in English. The language translations are provided by the UserWay accessibility application itself. This functionality is there for convenience but may not always be fully accurate, particularly where industry-specific or complex terms and phrases are concerned.

We know it might be difficult for some members to read from a screen, even with all of these accessibility features, which is why you can also download and print articles to read in your own way.

We hope these functions will provide a safe, inclusive space for our members to enjoy the STEP Journal.

 

Find what you're looking for

If you are looking for articles on a certain topic, the best way to find these is by using the ‘Search’ function at the top of the page. Either type in a keyword, e.g. CRS, and then use the filters to narrow down your search. Alternatively, just click on the magnifying glass and it will open up the search function. You can then filter by topic/region/jurisdiction/date/publication to find what you are looking for.

The other way to find articles of interest to you is to click on the tags located on each article. For example, click on #Trusts to bring up all articles on trusts, and then filter as above.

The TQR is here too! You’ll find it via the menu at the top of the page. Click on ‘TQR’ for the latest issue.

If you’re looking for a past issue of the Journal or TQR, check out the Back Issue Archive.

 

What else is new?

We have introduced themes to help you find the content you want to read in one place. The more we publish, the more content you will find linked to these themes.

They are: 

  • Community: everything you need to stay updated with what’s happening at STEP, including interviews with members to all the latest news, consultations and events. 
  • Perspectives: opinion columns, discussion panels and industry analysis providing insightful viewpoints from experts in the field.
  • Career and Workplace: everything from business practice, soft skills and career and personal development. 
  • Technical: our more analytical, practice-focused content, including industry developments, legislative updates and case law analysis. 
  • Big Picture: research and reports, STEP’s thought leadership topics, policy trends and the future of the industry. 

 

What’s in this issue?

This issue’s regional focus is the Crown Dependencies, with articles including changes to trust law in the Isle of Man, recent case law in Jersey regarding the court’s jurisdiction to vary a trust and advice for drafting wills for unmarried same-sex couples in Guernsey. 

We also focus on the business of Family Business in this issue, covering trends in the global family office landscape, pitfalls to avoid when a shareholder of a family business in England and Wales dies, and the utility of the Swiss family office, among others.

As we embark on this new chapter, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey into the digital future. The STEP Journal has always been a trusted source of knowledge and insight for trust and estate professionals, and now, with our enhanced digital platform, we are taking that legacy to new heights.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm as we embrace this digital evolution. We are confident that our new platform will revolutionise the way you engage with our content, offering a seamless and enriching experience that empowers you to stay at the forefront of your field.

As ever, we would love to hear your feedback, so please don’t hesitate to email us should you have any questions or feedback. 

Here's to the next chapter of the STEP Journal.

Authors