Wake Smith Solicitors’ private client director Stephanie Chung has been shortlisted for two awards at the Yorkshire Business Woman Awards 2026.
Steph, who joined the private client team in January 2022 and became a director in May 2025, has been selected as a finalist in the Women in Law and the Equality & Diversity award categories.
The awards, which celebrate International Women`s Day on March 6, honour the amazing women working in the region across all sectors.
The Women in Law award celebrates the formidable female legal minds shaping the region's future and will honour a female solicitor, barrister, in-house counsel, or legal pioneer who demonstrates exceptional expertise, unwavering integrity, and a profound impact on her field.
The Equality & Diversity award rewards those who have demonstrated Equity & Diversity practices by taking action to be inclusive and maximise positive benefits.
Steph’s exceptional work is highlighted particularly in her skills providing culturally sensitive legal advice within the Chinese community across several locations including Sheffield, Doncaster and Chesterfield, as she is one of the few Cantonese-speaking Private Client Solicitors in the region. This often comes with associated and complicated family dynamics, potentially vulnerable people and overcoming language barriers.
She was integral in launching Sheffield’s outreach initiative Changing Seasons in 2024, which has reconnected hundreds of British Chinese & East South East Asian (ESEA) community members together to share stories, connect, and be seen.
The initiative was set up to raise awareness of dementia and associated care and services within Sheffield’s (ESEA) community after language, long working hours, cultural differences and isolation were highlighted as some of the barriers why Sheffield’s Chinese community may not be accessing mainstream health provision, associated legal advice, and each other.
She is the first choice of hundreds of families and individuals looking for wills, trusts and estate management advice every year through her exceptional expertise, knowledge, experience, personable and empathetic nature around sensitive issues, and hard work.
Alongside her day to day role advising on private client matters, Steph is responsible for pushing the firm’s drive to attract business from the ever expanding Cantonese-speaking Chinese community in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
The winners of all 12 awards will be announced at the awards ceremony at the Leeds Marriott Hotel.
For further advice on private client matters contact Stephanie Chung, director of private client at Wake Smith Solicitors on 0114 224 2114 or email [email protected]