MEET THE TEAM
Gill Steel LLB ATT TEP MBA
A sole practitioner of high standing in the legal community, Gill has earned considerable respect as a knowledgeable and compelling conference speaker with regular engagements throughout England and Wales.
Gill worked as a partner and trainer within a number of large and small legal firms and founded Gill Steel Law Practice in 1996 which continues to provide a valuable service to private client practitioners on issues concerning Wills, Probate, Trusts and Tax. She is a member of the Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee, the Association of Taxation Technicians and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
"Society depends on the resolve of the legal profession to campaign and lobby for change to protect the vulnerable. I’m passionate about law. I can, and will, make a difference."
After hours: Gill has a love of fine wines, cooking, keeping fit and the arts…
Sue Hoath
Sue is Gill’s Personal Assistant and is the first point of contact for clients of both LawSkills and Gill Steel Law Practice.
As Gill’s right hand woman since 1997, Sue has become an indispensable member of the team with responsibilities ranging from bookkeeping, marketing, client liaison, preparing course materials to organising Gill’s busy diary and travel arrangements.
"We all work very much as a team here and it’s a tremendously rewarding environment; it’s inspiring to know that I can help make a difference at LawSkills . As the business has gone from strength to strength my duties have become increasingly varied - which I love."
After hours: A keen golfer with a handicap in single figures, Sue is a member of the prestigious Liphook Golf Club and competes for the Ladies team and also in mixed golf events in the region. When she isn’t golfing, Sue enjoys travelling in Europe, gardening and countryside walks.
Leyla Whitlingum MEng DipLaw
Leyla joined LawSkills in 2007 as Research Assistant having graduated from Middlesex University with a Diploma in Law. She is also a part-time Legal Practice Course (LPC) student at the College of Law in Guildford and is looking forward to qualifying as a solicitor.
She is responsible for researching specialist subjects for Gill to incorporate into her training programmes scouring the in-house LawSkills and online libraries to ensure that every fact is accurate and relevant.
"I love working here! I’m gaining invaluable experience in so many aspects of law that I will undoubtedly carry forward into my future career as a solicitor."
After hours: Leyla is half-Italian, bilingual and enjoys camping, cycling and surfing and being a very busy wife and mother of three young children.
Ken Woods BA (Hons)
Ken joined Gill five years ago as Librarian to the LawSkills team, responsible for maintaining up-to-the-minute awareness of the latest legal and tax developments. He provides a constant flow of information in both hard copy and electronic form, operating a specialised in-house knowledge database, keeping the hard copy library up-to-date and managing online data and journal subscriptions.
Ken moved into law librarianship following several years in banking and also in sales and marketing with ICI - there was even a fascinating stint in a parliamentary library. Today, Ken commutes from the Isle of Wight, having moved from central London in 1999.
"The pleasure of being part of a small but dynamic team in a delightful rural village setting has never worn off. Moreover, I find many aspects of Gill’s work at LawSkills intellectually challenging and, above all, interesting."
After hours: Ken has a vast collection of classical music and enjoys reading fiction and gardening whilst “pretending I know what I’m doing”! He and his wife have eleven grandchildren which keeps them fully occupied when the school holidays beckon…
