Leaving Your Will Writing Company: A Practical Independence Guide

Before you hand in your notice, understand exactly what your contract says. Here's what to look for:

Notice period:

• •Typically 1-3 months for will writers
• •You must honour this (unless you can negotiate early release)
• •Use this time productively for setup and preparation

Non-compete clauses:

• •Check the scope: does it cover "will writing" specifically, or "estate planning" more broadly?
• •Check the geography: is it within a certain radius of your current patch?
• •Check the duration: typically 3-12 months after leaving
• •Key point: many non-competes are unenforceable if they're too broad
• •Estate planning services BEYOND will writing (LPAs, trusts) may fall outside a will-writing non-compete

Client ownership:

• •Most contracts state the company owns the client database
• •You typically cannot take client lists or contact details
• •However, clients who find YOU independently (via Google, referral, etc.) are not restricted
• •Past clients who remember your name can approach you freely

Intellectual property:

• •Templates, precedents, and documents belong to the company
• •You cannot take copies of their will templates
• •This is why WILLO software is important — it gives you your own professional templates

Garden leave:

• •Some contracts include garden leave provisions
• •You're paid but cannot work during this period
• •Use this time for training, marketing setup, and preparation

Get legal advice if:

• •Your non-compete is broad and you're unsure of its enforceability
• •You're worried about specific contract terms
• •Your employer is aggressive about enforcement
• •You have significant trailing income or bonuses at stake

The reality: Most will writing companies don't pursue leavers aggressively. It costs more in legal fees than it's worth. They'd rather find your replacement than fight you in court. But be professional, honour your contractual obligations, and keep everything above board.

Plan your departure strategically. Here's a proven timeline:

8-12 weeks before notice:

• •Register for free training at Become an Estate Planner
• •Complete the programme in evenings/weekends
• •Research PI insurance providers
• •Start planning your business setup
• •Tell NO ONE at work yet

4-6 weeks before notice:

• •Complete training and receive certificate
• •Get PI insurance quotes arranged (ready to activate)
• •Set up WILLO software account (familiarise yourself)
• •Create a basic website (don't publish yet)
• •Build your marketing plan
• •Calculate your financial buffer (recommend 2-3 months expenses)

Giving notice:

• •Be professional and positive
• •Don't burn bridges — the industry is small
• •Don't mention competing or taking clients
• •Offer a proper handover of current cases
• •Thank them for the opportunity genuinely

During notice period:

• •Complete all current cases professionally
• •Begin building your referral network (not approaching company clients)
• •Publish your website and LinkedIn presence
• •Tell personal contacts about your new business
• •Set up Google Business profile
• •Book your first post-departure appointments from personal network
• •Join local networking groups
• •Prepare marketing materials

Day 1 of independence:

• •Activate PI insurance
• •Go live with marketing
• •Start taking your own appointments
• •Begin building YOUR client base
• •Earn 100% of every fee from the first case

The emotional side: Leaving can feel scary, especially if you've been there for years. But every independent will writer we've spoken to says the same thing: "I wish I'd done it sooner." The first month might feel uncertain, but by month 2-3, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

You might think your company's brand is what brings in clients. In reality, will writing clients care about trust, locality, and personal recommendation — not brand names.

Your personal brand:

• •YOUR name, YOUR face, YOUR reputation
• •Clients remember YOU from the meeting, not the company logo on the paperwork
• •Trust is built person-to-person, not through corporate branding
• •A professional individual practitioner is MORE trustworthy to most people than a faceless company

Essential brand elements (keep it simple):

1. Business name — Use your own name or something local and professional

• •"Jane Smith Estate Planning" or "[Town] Estate Planning Services"
• •Avoid clever names that don't explain what you do

2. Simple website — One page is enough to start

• •Who you are (with photo — builds trust)
• •What you offer (services and prices)
• •How to contact you (phone, email, contact form)
• •A few testimonials (get these from early clients)

3. Google Business profile — FREE and essential

• •Appears in local search results
• •Shows reviews, location, contact details
• •Most new estate planning clients search Google first

4. LinkedIn — Your professional identity

• •Update your headline: "Independent Estate Planner | Wills, LPAs & Trusts"
• •Share content about estate planning topics
• •Connect with local professionals

5. Business cards — Still relevant for networking

• •Clean, professional design
• •Your name, title, phone, email, website
• •Hand them to everyone you meet

What you DON'T need:

• •Expensive brand design (keep it professional but simple)
• •A logo designer (your name IS your brand)
• •Social media management (basic LinkedIn and Facebook are enough)
• •A marketing agency (word of mouth is your best channel)
• •A fancy office address (work from home — clients prefer home visits)

Your company might have a recognisable name locally, but clients chose you because of the service YOU gave them. That doesn't change when you go independent — if anything, it gets better because you care more about your own reputation.

One of the best things about independence: YOU set your prices. No more company pricing that either undercuts your value or overcharges clients while you see a fraction.

Recommended pricing structure:

Wills:

• •Single will: £250-£450
• •Mirror wills (couple): £350-£600
• •Complex wills (trusts, multiple beneficiaries): £400-£800

LPAs:

• •Single LPA: £200-£400
• •Pair (H&W + P&F): £350-£650
• •LPAs for a couple (all 4): £600-£1,200

Trusts:

• •Life insurance trust: £150-£300
• •Property protection trust: £500-£1,500
• •Discretionary trust: £800-£2,000
• •Life interest trust: £500-£1,500

Packages (higher conversion rate):

• •Will + LPAs: £500-£900 per person
• •Mirror wills + LPAs for couple: £900-£1,600
• •Complete estate plan (wills + LPAs + trust): £1,500-£3,000

Pricing strategy tips:

• •Don't be the cheapest — cheap implies low quality in estate planning
• •Don't be the most expensive — you're not a City solicitor
• •Position in the middle: professional, good value, comprehensive
• •Always offer packages — clients buy packages more readily than individual items
• •Include "you might also want..." — LPAs alongside wills, trusts with LPAs

The comparison with your old company:

• •They charged £300 for a will and gave you £100-£150
• •You charge £350 for a will and keep £350
• •Client pays slightly more, gets better personal service
• •You earn 2-3x more per case
• •Everyone wins (except your old employer)

Payment terms:

• •50% deposit at instruction, 50% at signing is common
• •Or full payment at signing
• •Avoid doing work before receiving any payment
• •Card payments (SumUp, iZettle) make collection easy

Your company provides software, templates, and systems. WILLO replaces all of this — and does it better.

What your company's system does → What WILLO does:

| Company System | WILLO Equivalent |

|---|---|

| Will templates | Comprehensive will builder with modern clause library |

| Client database | Full client management with search, filters, and history |

| Case tracking | Pipeline management with status tracking and reminders |

| Document generation | Professional PDF generation with automatic formatting |

| Appointment diary | Scheduling and follow-up management |

| Fee tracking | Invoice generation and payment tracking |

| Compliance records | Automatic audit trails and file notes |

WILLO advantages over company systems:

• •Works from any device (not just a company laptop)
• •Cloud-based — no data loss if a device breaks
• •Regular updates with new features
• •Covers LPAs and trusts (not just wills)
• •Client portal for secure document sharing
• •You OWN your data — it's yours forever
• •Modern interface designed for practitioners

Transition is seamless:

• •Complete your free training using WILLO as part of the learning
• •By the time you leave your company, you'll be comfortable with the software
• •Your first independent cases use the same tools you trained with
• •No steep learning curve on day one of independence

What about your old cases?

• •You can't take data from your company's system
• •But clients who contact you can provide their own information
• •WILLO fact-find captures everything you need from scratch
• •Fresh start with better software is often easier than migrating old data

Register for free training at Become an Estate Planner today. You'll learn the software as part of the programme, so when you go independent, you'll be confident and ready from day one.