About Alex Truesdale Wills
Alexandra Truesdale has always aimed high. The first in her family to attend university, she read Jurisprudence at St Anne’s College, Oxford, qualifying as a solicitor and Solicitor Advocate and spending 15 years at the world’s best litigation firm, Herbert Smith. Leaving the City behind in June 2009 to raise a family (she is the very proud mother of two girls – a sixteen year old cellist and a twelve year old saxophonist!) Alex quickly realised that the best work:life balance would come through starting her own business.
By late 2009 Alex had joined the Institute of Professional Willwriters, the specialist Will writing association whose values best matched hers and whose entry requirements were the most stringent. Alex qualified as a Member of the IPW in June 2010 and her “middle child”, Alex Truesdale Wills Limited, was born.
Continuous professional development is at the cornerstone of Alex’s values and in December 2016 she gained the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation, considered the industry’s highest qualification, passing with Distinction and coming second in the country.
Alex prides herself on delivering personal, practical and pragmatic legal advice to individuals, couples and families across England and Wales, making the process of making a Will, creating Lasting Powers of Attorney, or navigating Probate as painless as possible.
Along the way Alex keeps her legal knowledge current through CPD training courses and events together with lecturing in law at BPP, and when she has any down time she is most likely to be found at the races…at a Jockey Club racecourse, naturally!
Will Writing and Estate Planning: Working With Us
Step 1: Get in Touch
Call us on 07887 946 557 or enter your details on our contact form to arrange an initial meeting with our principal, Alex Truesdale, at a time and place convenient to you.
In most cases we will be able to make initial recommendations and provide estimates for the services we believe will be appropriate to your needs during our initial telephone conversation. Should you wish to proceed we will request ID and send you our Engagement Letters and Information Pack.
Step 2: First meeting
We offer face to face and virtual consultations. We will review the ID you have provided and ensure that you are happy with, and have signed, our Engagement Letter.
We will then discuss in detail your personal circumstances, your estate, and your objectives for your Will and we will also advise whether you would benefit from further services.
Once we have reached agreement with you as to the work to be carried out, we will provide a binding quotation of the total cost for the services we are to provide, including disbursements (third party costs) and VAT and we will request two post-dated cheques from you, each for 50% of the fee payable.
You have 14 days from our first meeting to withdraw without obligation.
Step 3: Drafting Your Will
We will write up your case, requesting any further information or decisions from you and reflecting the instructions you have already given. Our aim is to have a draft Will with you for your consideration within 14 days of receipt of all the information we have requested. On day 15 after our first meeting your first fee instalment is due. Your second fee instalment is due on day 30 after our first meeting or on signing your Will, whichever is the earlier.
We are on hand to discuss our advice in person, via email or virtually and to work with you on your draft documents until you are completely happy and able to proceed to signing.
Step 4: Executing Your Will
Once you are entirely happy with your draft Will, we will arrange a further appointment with you to oversee the formal signing and witnessing of your Will and related documents, or will send out instructions for remote execution; socially distanced and (in appropriate circumstances) or video witnessing is available on request.
Your second fee instalment is due now, if it has not fallen due already.
Step 5: Aftercare
We will arrange for you to receive copies of your documents plus our exclusive LifeFile to assist our executors. Your Will will be stored securely and any LPAs registered. Any further follow-up actions or future Will reviews will be agreed and diarised.
Alex Truesdale Wills Limited: Experience You Can Trust
Established in 2010, Alex Truesdale Wills Limited is a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW), a self-regulating professional body, which was established in 1990 to promote standards within the Will-writing profession and to protect the interests of its members and of the public.
As a member firm we are qualified by examination to write Wills and associated documents and must:
- carry at least £2 Million Professional Indemnity Insurance cover per client – we carry £5 million insurance per client
- carry at least £2 Million Public Liability Insurance cover per client
- undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
- undertake Continuous Professional Development to ensure our service is leading edge and reflects best practice
- comply with all aspects of the IPW’s Code Of Practice, which is sponsored by The Chartered Trading Standards Institute
