A high street firm has created its own scholarship as a tribute to a much-loved director who died last year.
Gabbs Solicitors, which has three offices close to the England-Wales border, was determined to create a fitting legacy to Jenny Lewis to mark her journey in the law.
It will provide up to £10,000 for someone wanting to get into the legal profession but who may be hampered by financial constraints.
Melanie Tree, a director at Gabbs, said: ‘We were all so devastated when Jenny died – she was such a positive person to have in the firm and had worked so hard to get where she did. We wanted to do something positive to keep her memory alive, and helping people who might otherwise struggle to get into the law was a fitting way of achieving that.’
Before joining Gabbs, Lewis had worked in roles supporting and assisting underprivileged and vulnerable children, including as a youth participation worker for a local authority.
The University of Sussex graduate then took a job with the firm as a legal cashier almost 11 years ago, working her way up through roles as legal secretary, paralegal, assistant practice manager and finally a trainee legal executive – all while studying for her CILEX qualification.
She qualified as FCILEX in the family law department in September 2023 and was soon invited to join the board of directors. The firm said she brought not just a wealth of experience but also an ‘immeasurable’ vibrancy and positivity.
The mother of two died last September aged 48.
The scholarship criteria sets out that a fund will be paid to someone who is resident or has a strong connection to Herefordshire, Shropshire or Powys. The firm is also encouraging applicants who are from a low income household or people who have grown up in care or are carers. Funding is available for someone starting the LPC, SQE or CILEX course in the next year, with payments made directly to the relevant educational institution.
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