Nominations opened on Monday for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Private Client Awards 2009/10. Applications are narrowed down by a panel of expert professionals that advise the judges, including WealthBriefing editorial director Stephen Harris, on specific awards. The awards highlight excellence among private client professionals and wealth managers worldwide.

"These awards are the premier professional awards and the winners can demonstrate to the market that their peers consider them the best and most innovative companies in the profession," said awards secretary Keith Johnston.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on 11 September 2009 at The London Hilton on
Park
Lane,

London.

Entrants are all helping to support the awards charity Room to Read, which provides the lifelong gift of education to children throughout the developing world. In just eight years Room to Read has opened 287 schools and established over 3,800 bi-lingual libraries. Donations received through the STEP Private Client Awards 2008/9 have helped to fund a library in

Sri Lanka.

The awards are supported by Brown Shipley, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Towry Law, KYC 360 and Hottinger.

This year there are four new categories; Family Office Team of the Year, IFA Team of the Year, Boutique Firm of the Year and Elder Client Law Professional of the Year.

The international categories include Chambers of the Year, Independent Trust Company Team of the Year; Institutional Trust Company Team of the Year; International Finance Centre of the Year; Investment House of the Year; Philanthropy Team of the Year and Private Bank Team of the Year.

The regional categories include IFC Legal Team of the Year and North American Team of the Year.

The
UK and

Ireland categories are: Accountancy Team of the Year; Charity Team of the Year; Contentious Trust and Estates Team of the Year; London Legal Team of the Year  and UK & Ireland Regional Legal Team of the Year.