Why We Do Things Differently
What Is a Private Members' Association?
A private members' association is simply a group of people who come together under a shared agreement, for a shared purpose. It is governed by the contract between its members rather than the regulatory frameworks that apply to ordinary businesses.
Think of it less like a company and more like a trusted community — one you choose to join, and one that chooses you.
It is a well-established structure in the UK, used where the relationship between people matters as much as the service being provided. For estate planning — a deeply personal process that touches on family, values, and legacy — it feels like a natural fit.
Private members' associations are more common than you might think — golf clubs, cricket clubs, the Freemasons, the MCC, and Soho House all operate on similar principles: a community governed by the agreement between its members.
Why This Felt Like the Right Fit
Redwood Estate Planning operates as a private members' association. This wasn't a decision made lightly, and there are three main reasons for it.
The first is purpose.
A limited company exists primarily to generate profit — that is its legal and structural purpose. Whilst financial sustainability is necessary, profit has never been a primary motivation. We believe that understanding and planning your estate is a fundamental part of life education — something every person deserves to approach with care, clarity, and trusted guidance. It is not a product to be packaged and sold. This structure allows us to place that belief at the centre of everything.
The second is selectivity.
A limited company must broadly serve anyone who comes through the door. That has never sat comfortably with us. As a private members' association, membership is by invitation and mutual agreement. We are intentional about who we work with — not out of exclusivity for its own sake, but because meaningful, trust-based relationships produce far better outcomes than transactional ones. Estate planning done well requires openness, honesty, and genuine connection. That is far easier when both parties have chosen each other.
The third is values.
When the regulatory direction of travel no longer aligned with our values, we chose a structure that did. We have always held ourselves to high personal standards — and when a structure we were operating within no longer reflected those standards, the right course of action was to change it. We question what does not feel right. We do not simply accept it.
How This Works in Practice
We meet every prospective member for free.
There is no agenda, no sales pitch, and no obligation. We want to understand you — your family, your circumstances, your concerns, and what matters most to you. From that conversation, we draw on our experience to help you think clearly about your estate and the decisions that need to be made. Everything is heard before any decision is made or any recommendation offered.
After each meeting, we provide a bespoke written summary — personal to your circumstances, covering what was discussed and what options were explored. It also references specific resources in our private Knowledge Base that are directly relevant to your situation, so you can read further in your own time and at your own pace.
Alongside the summary, members receive access to Redwood's Knowledge Base — a private resource shared with members only. It is something we have been subconsciously building for over fifteen years: a collection of guides, help sheets, and stories gathered through first-hand experience, genuine fascination with the legal world, and a firm belief that this kind of knowledge should be part of real life education. Not just as and when something happens. Something people carry with them.
Up until this point, there is no charge and no obligation to progress with any aspect of estate planning whatsoever. If you would like to move forward, we will explain the costs clearly and work out together whether we are the right fit for each other.
This is not for everyone. Some people want estate planning to be purely transactional — a quick, efficient service with no relationship attached. That is completely valid, and there are plenty of places that offer exactly that.
We are looking for something different. We want to work with people who value the conversation and the learning as much as the document at the end of it. We think globally and act locally — starting with the people in front of us, the families we help, the communities we are part of. Service to others, before service to self. If more of the world operated this way, it would be a far better place.
What Stays the Same
The quality of the work does not change.
All Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Trusts, and estate planning documents continue to be produced to the same professional standard by a practitioner with over fifteen years of experience. Every document carries full legal validity.
The work is fully insured. Professional indemnity insurance is held by the practitioner drafting your documents, meaning that in the event of an error — as can happen in any professional context — there is a clear remedy. This may take the form of a deed of variation, rescission, or other appropriate correction. You are not left exposed.
What changes is the relationship within which the work is done — and we believe it changes for the better.
Interested in Finding Out More?
If you would like to know more about Redwood Estate Planning and what membership looks like, we would be happy to have that conversation. The first meeting is always free, and there is never any obligation.