NATALIE Palmer and Gillian Ibbotson of the Private Client Team at Latimer Hinks Solicitors in Darlington are celebrating their success after passing their Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) examinations.
They bring to five the number of STEP members in the Private Client Department Team, with Anne Elliott, Andrew Way and Elizabeth Armstrong all existing members.
Natalie, 33, and Gillian, 29, have gained their STEP qualifications complying with a rigorous code of professional conduct and having passed four tailored exams.
STEP is the leading worldwide professional body for practitioners in the fields of trusts, estates and related issues and aims to promote professional standards.
Gillian, who joined Latimer Hinks in 2004 as a secretary/paralegal and subsequently qualified in 2009, said: “We’re both over the moon to have achieved such a recognised qualification as it shows our specialism in the ability to provide quality service in the field of trusts and tax planning.
Natalie, who has been with Latimer Hinks since 2000, said: “STEP qualifications are notoriously difficult to achieve due to the extremely high standards the exam board sets.
Juggling working full time and studying at evenings and at weekends has been immensely difficult but it has all been worthwhile.
“We can now use the designation TEP which adds a degree of recognition and assurance for our clients.”
