Why hasn’t my post been approved?
To help prevent spam or inappropriate posts, posts from new users are reviewed by a moderator before being approved or rejected.
Please note that this forum is not intended as a place for non-professionals to seek advice. If you are looking for professional advice, you can start by looking for a STEP practitioner here https://www.step.org/directory/members
We aim to approve those we consider most topical, focused and likely to stimulate interesting debate, and certainly cannot approve every question or answer received. We also limit the number of new topic posts, so if there is a backlog new questions may take longer. We usually acknowledge topics that are not posted.
Every now and again it is possible that a posting gets lost - if in doubt, after reading the above, please contact a moderator.
We usually acknowledge email questions that are not approved.
What do the moderators do if they think a posting is wrong?
The fact that the moderator disagrees does not generally stop them approving a posting, though if there is an obvious mistake or typographical error they may correct it (or ask the contributor to do so); very occasionally they may ask a contributor if he or she wants to think again.
I’m having trouble logging in
Please send details of the problem you are experiencing to webadmin@step.org
Advertisements
The moderators won’t approve something that strikes them as only in the nature of an advertisement, e.g.: ‘this problem is too complex to discuss here but give me a ring’. If a posting makes some useful point we don’t at all mind if it concludes along the lines of ‘I have dealt with a lot of these types of problems so if you have any further queries then please get in touch’.
But if that’s all that the posting says, we don’t approve it.
There is no objection to posters referring to discussion in their own books, which is often the easiest way to comment on a point.
Topics not of general interest
The forum is not a service to answer all trust questions, but only to discuss those of general interest. We don’t approve topics which seem to us unlikely to lead to an interesting discussion, especially if factually complex or unusual.
Please note that this forum is not intended as a place for non-professionals to seek advice. If you are looking for professional advice, you can start by looking for a STEP practitioner here https://www.step.org/directory/members
We don’t usually approve very basic questions, those with a simple answer that a little research will resolve.
Likewise, short emails expressing agreement or thanks. If the same point is made several times, we only approve a selection of the posts.
Job vacancies; seminars
The moderators will not approve announcements of job vacancies, forthcoming seminars, etc.
Recommendations
We do not forward requests for recommended UK lawyers or other professionals. Please consult a directory (e.g. the STEP directory).
We do forward requests for recommended lawyers or other professionals in other jurisdictions. We also suggest that subscribers search the archive before asking for a recommendation since several jurisdictions have already been covered - the threads are usually headed “Recommmended Lawyer - France”, etc.
The moderators will not generally approve emails recommending someone at the same firm as the sender.
Questions from the general public and students
The forum is for practitioners’ discussion so the moderators won’t approve questions from the general public or students.
The Forum and the Bar
The forum is a discussion group and not a substitute for research.
It provides material for thought and not advice on which one can legally rely. So we (among others) do from time to time put in a posting suggesting that difficult problem should be sent to Chancery Counsel for advice. To distinguish straightforward matters from issues which deserve to be taken to counsel is itself a useful step.
If a question has been asked and later Counsel had advised, we are always interested to post a summary of his or her advice.
We forward emails requesting recommendations for a Barrister; replies are passed on privately and not published.
Multiple questions
One problem in real life often raises multiple questions. For the sake of orderly debate it is essential to break complex questions down so far as possible and to identify issues singly. Less is more.
Is the forum publicly accessible?
Yes.
I’m not receiving emails from the Trusts Discussion Forum
Emails sent from trustsdiscussionforum.co.uk are sent via an external mailing system called SparkPost, rather than trustsdiscussionforum.co.uk. If you find that you aren’t receiving emails from the Trusts Discussion Forum they may be being flagged as SPAM. Please check your SPAM folder first - if there are no TDF emails there, please ask your IT department to add the following domains to your safe senders list:
• sparkpostmail.com
• sparkpostmail1.com
• sparkpostmail2.com
• sparkpostmail.co.uk
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Allowing the above domains will ensure that all emails reach you without being held in SPAM filters or blocked by security settings.
I’m only receiving summary emails and not individual posts
You can change the frequency and type of TDF emails that you are receiving by changing the email settings on your Preferences page. The Preferences page can be accessed (once you have logged into trustsdiscussionforum.co.uk) by clicking on your avatar icon in the top right hand corner (if you haven’t added an avatar icon then this will be coloured square with a capital letter) and selecting the user tab, and then Preferences, Emails.
Mailing list mode
Enable mailing list mode – tick this option if you wish to receive every new post that is posted on the TDF.
Alternatively/additionally you can change the frequency that the summary is sent to you:
Activity Summary
By selecting this you can then opt to receive summaries daily, weekly etc.