STEP is delighted to announce the latest winners in its Excellence Awards, which celebrate exceptional student achievement, recognising the highest achievers across all STEP qualifications globally.

The 70 winners hail from all over the world, representing 14 jurisdictions: Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, England and Wales, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Scotland, Singapore and Switzerland.

The Awards align with STEP’s core focus on promoting high standards and professional excellence, and recognise the top-scoring student at distinction level per STEP exam or assignment, plus the highest-scoring graduates across each of the STEP Diplomas.

STEP’s courses can be taken as part of the exam route to full membership of STEP, denoted by the prestigious ‘TEP’ designation.

‘Our congratulations to all of the winners,’ Madeleine Jenness, STEP’s Senior Manager, Professional Development, said. ‘We are most impressed by the talent and commitment shown by these individuals. They represent the best and the brightest practitioners – many of whom will be names to watch out for in the years ahead.’

Leyla Jackson TEP of Broadhurst LLC was the highest scoring graduate of the STEP Diploma in International Trust Management. She said, ‘As a former professor/lecturer for over ten years, I can attest to the fact that the quality of the teaching on the Diploma is outstanding and that completion of the course certainly accelerated my career in practice and opened many doors.’

Rachael Delaney of Blackadders LLP, who won her award for the STEP Advanced Certificate in Trusts: Law and Practice (Scotland), said: ‘In addition to increasing my confidence in my role, the STEP qualification has allowed me to develop and maintain strong relationships with other professionals. Becoming a TEP is important to me to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, and to ensure that I can provide the best service possible to clients.’

No fewer than nine of STEP’s Employer Partners fielded award-winning students, and several told us how proud they were of their employees’ success.

Bryony Cove TEP of Farrer & Co said ‘We are so grateful to STEP for continuing to provide amazing educational opportunities to our lawyers. We are also immensely proud that Caroline Russell TEP and Celia Speller TEP have both received an Excellence Award for their work in the STEP Advance Certificate in Cross-Border Estates, which is a key area of our practice.’

• View the Excellence Awards website for a full list of winners.

About STEP qualifications

Designed and delivered by practitioners, for practitioners, they are recognised and respected by employers, regulators and clients across the world.

Courses can either be taken as stand-alone qualifications, or as part of our Exam Route to Full Membership of STEP.

About STEP

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members. STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.

Find out more at www.step.org.