Oxford: Henmans Freeth private client lawyer a STEP above the rest

Jane Robinson, a senior associate in the private client department of Henmans Freeth LLP, has been awarded the STEP ‘President's Prize QP Student of the Year (E&W) (Accounting & Administration) 2013’ for her essay on estate accounts and who is entitled to see estate and trust papers.

Henmans Freeth reported in December that Robinson had successfully passed her final STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) thesis, attaining an A+ in the ‘Accounts and Admin’ module. Now STEP has announced that Robinson has scored the highest marks in England and Wales of any studying practitioner for that module and will therefore receive the prestigious award.

STEP is the worldwide professional association for practitioners dealing with family inheritance and succession planning. The Society helps to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members.

Robinson specialises in the administration of a wide range of estates and complex legacy administration issues for charities and private individuals. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals; and a member of STEP's 'Contentious Trust and Estates', 'Charities (UK)', and 'Cross-Border Estates' Special Interest Groups.

Jane Maitland, partner and head of the private client team at Henmans Freeth, said: "Winning such an award is testament to the hard work and commitment Jane put into her final STEP thesis. The private client department and the whole firm are proud of her achievement.”

Henmans Freeth was recently one of only five firms across the UK and Ireland to have been shortlisted in the UK and Ireland Regional Legal Team of the Year category of the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Private Client Awards 2013/14.