STEP Excellence Awards

We are pleased to announce the highest-scoring students from the 2021 sittings across all STEP exams globally.

The STEP Excellence Awards recognise the top-scoring student at distinction level (70 per cent and above) per STEP exam or assignment, Essay Route, and the highest-scoring graduates across each of the STEP Diplomas, aggregated across the four diploma papers. The individuals listed here represent the best and the brightest practitioners – many of whom will be names to watch out for in the years ahead.

To view last year’s winners, click here.

International

Graduates

Highest-scoring Diploma graduates across all four papers and all jurisdictions

Tallie Renouf

STEP Diploma in International Trust Management

Apex Financial Services (Jersey) Ltd

STEP Jersey

Matthew Smith TEP

STEP Diploma in International Trust
Management – DL+

Southpac Group Ltd

STEP New Zealand

International

Advanced Certificates

Highest-scoring students worldwide

Jennifer Wood TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Company Law and Practice

RBC Wealth Management

STEP Toronto

Khan Ruey Lim

STEP Advanced Certificate in Company Law and Practice – DL+

Khan Ruey Lim

STEP Malaysia

Melanie Christodoulou TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates

Furley Page LLP

STEP Kent

Samuel Gilling TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising the Family Business

Bay of Plenty District Health Board

STEP New Zealand

Akram Ojjeh

STEP Advanced Certificate in Family Business Governance

Swiss Legal Finance SA

STEP Geneva

Lerona Waskar TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Family Business Governance

Elman Wall Ltd

STEP London Central

Shuk Ling Li

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Administration and Accounts

STEP Hong Kong

TMF Hong Kong Ltd

Xueyao Zhang

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Administration and Accounts – DL+

China Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Charity

STEP Singapore

Ryan Levy

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Creation: Law and Practice

Overseas Service Company Ltd

STEP Johannesburg

Natalie Vassiliou Moustaka

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Creation: Law and Practice – DL+

S A Evangelou & Co LLC

STEP Cyprus

Luigi Benincasa

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trustee Investment and Financial Appraisal

STEP Zurich Centre

Yifan Lai

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trustee Investment and Financial Appraisal – DL+

Dentons

STEP China

Matthew Smith TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trustee Investment and Financial Appraisal – DL+

Southpac Group Ltd

STEP New Zealand

Laura Pover TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes

Atla Fiduciaries Ltd

STEP Isle of Man

Hayley Ives TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients

Crowe UK LLP

STEP Kent

‘This Advanced Certificate has really helped broaden my understanding of potential disputes and how to manage or avoid them completely. It has proven very useful and I can very easily apply what I have learnt in my role within fiduciary client services.’

Laura Pover TEP, STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes

International

Certificates

Highest-scoring students worldwide

Jayalutchmee Awotar

STEP Certificate in Anti-Money Laundering

Mauritius Finance

STEP Mauritius

Erik Sharman

STEP Certificate in International Trust Management

Ocorian

STEP Guernsey

Junjun Zhang

STEP Certificate in International Trust
Management – DL+

Prudential Hong Kong

STEP Hong Kong

Simon Glazier

STEP Certificate for Financial Services (Trusts and Estate Planning)

Stewardship Wealth

STEP Scotland

Alison James

STEP Certificate for Financial Services (Trusts and Estate Planning)

Spence and Spence

STEP Scotland

International

Essay Route

Highest-scoring students worldwide

Gavin Holt

Essay title: ‘Formalities for execution of documents’

Co-op Legal Services

STEP Bristol

Mona Monadjem

Essay title: ‘Formalities for execution of documents’

Mona Monadjem Solicitors

STEP Germany

June Yap TEP

Essay title: ‘Marriage and undue influence’

Farewill

STEP Bristol

Maria Paola Serra

Essay title: ‘The sham trust doctrine’

Dentons Europe Studio Legale Tributario

STEP Italy

England and Wales

Graduate

Highest-scoring Diploma graduate across all four papers

Lorraine Wilson TEP

STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales)

Weightmans LLP

STEP Manchester

‘The STEP Diploma has developed my knowledge and understanding of the law and its practical application to clients.’

Lorraine Wilson TEP, highest-scoring graduate, STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales)

England and Wales

Advanced Certificates

Highest-scoring students

Eleanor Riches‑Lenaghan

STEP Advanced Certificate in the Administration of Estates (England and Wales)

RMW Law LLP

STEP City of London

Nicola Bayley

STEP Advanced Certificate in the Administration of Trusts (England and Wales)

The Wilkes Partnership

STEP Birmingham

Poki Wratten

STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients

Moore Barlow LLP

STEP Surrey

Zahava Rosenthal

STEP Advanced Certificate in the Taxation of Trusts and Estates (England and Wales)

Forsters LLP

STEP London Central

Emma Todd TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust and Estate Accounting (England and Wales)

Roythornes Solicitors

STEP East Midlands

Vanina Wittenburg TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust and Estate Accounting (England and Wales)

Hunters Law LLP

STEP London Central

Asher Alain Bornstein

STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation

Craybeck Law LLP

STEP City of London

‘The course is invaluable for practising in the area of private client law. It has enhanced my knowledge and accordingly improved the advice I am able to give to clients.’

Asher Alain Bornstein, STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation

England and Wales

Certificates

Highest-scoring students

Clare Hook

STEP Certificate for Financial Services (Trusts and Estate Planning)

Ascot Lloyd

STEP Thames Valley

Helen Kent‑Woolsey

STEP Certificate in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales)

RSM UK

STEP Suffolk and North Essex

‘The STEP Certificate for Financial Services has hugely increased my understanding of trusts and given me the confidence to help others, in particular in the classification and tax treatment of different trusts.’

Clare Hook, STEP Certificate for Financial Services (Trusts and Estate Planning)

Northern Ireland

Graduate

Highest-scoring Diploma graduate across all four papers

Keith Farrell TEP

STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (Northern Ireland)

Campbell and Caher

STEP Northern Ireland

‘I found the technical knowledge that this course exposed me to was both informative and challenging. The course allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of each of the steps involved in drafting wills and trusts in order to make their administration more straightforward and avoid numerous pitfalls.’

Keith Farrell TEP, highest-scoring graduate, STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland

Advanced Certificates

Highest-scoring students

Keith Farrell TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in the Administration of Trusts (Northern Ireland)

Campbell and Caher

STEP Northern Ireland

Millicent Tate

STEP Advanced Certificate in the Administration of Estates (Northern Ireland)

McShanes Solicitors

STEP Northern Ireland

Scotland

Graduate

Highest-scoring Diploma graduate across all four papers

Robyn Lee TEP

STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (Scotland)

Blackadders LLP

STEP Scotland

‘Completing the four Advanced Certificates over a period of two years has given me the opportunity to continually refresh and build upon my existing legal knowledge across a number of key areas in private client practice. The practical application of this course cannot be understated, particularly, for me, the expertise gained in dealing with trust and tax matters.’

Robyn Lee TEP, highest-scoring graduate, STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (Scotland)

Scotland

Advanced Certificates

Highest-scoring students

Scott Clarke TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates (Scotland)

Saffery Champness

STEP Scotland

Gillian Hyams TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates (Scotland)

Gillespie Macandrew LLP

STEP Scotland

Yana Lahatskaya TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates (Scotland)

Thorntons Law LLP

STEP Scotland

Louise Porter TEP

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust and Executry Accounting (Scotland)

Burnett & Reid LLP

STEP Scotland

Ailie Christie

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trusts: Law and Practice (Scotland)

Connell & Connell

STEP Scotland

Amy Mayberry

STEP Advanced Certificate in Trusts: Law and Practice (Scotland)

Lindsays

STEP Scotland

Charlotte Fleming

STEP Advanced Certificate in Wills and Executries: Law and Practice (Scotland)

STEP Scotland

Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP

Canada

STEP Canada holds a separate annual Student Awards, the winners of which are listed below

Special award:

Gerald W Owen book prize

The Gerald W Owen book prize, sponsored by The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, is awarded to the STEP Canada student who achieves the highest overall average in all four diploma courses

Laura Peach TEP

Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers

STEP Vancouver

Diploma Courses

Liana Gannon

Diploma Program Course 1: Law of Trusts

MD Private Trust

STEP Southwestern Ontario

Catherine Hung

Diploma Program Course 2: Taxation of Trusts and Estates

Pricewaterhouse Coopers

STEP Toronto

Stephanie Battista TEP

Diploma Program Course 3: Wills, Trust and Estate Administration

O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP

STEP Toronto

Laura Peach TEP

Diploma Program Course 4: Trust and Estate Planning

Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers

STEP Vancouver

Essay Route

Shannon James TEP

Carscallen LLP

STEP Calgary

Certificate of Estate and Trust Administration (CETA) Program

Susan Tregunno

BMO Trust Company

STEP Atlantic

View last year’s winners here

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