Leading offshore legal services provider, Appleby, has announced its sponsorship of the 2010 Annual Conference of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), which will take place this month. The Conference takes place on Thursday 18th November at the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club, with high-profile featured speakers from the London Bar, London law firms and representatives of Isle of Man companies and Government. The speakers and topics for discussion are as follows: • Philip Baker QC (Barrister, Grays Inn Tax Chambers): An international perspective on the Isle of Man, tax treaties and life after “Zero-Ten” • Richard Hay (Stikeman Elliot): G20 and OECD Programmes for International Financial Centres • Malcolm Couch (IOM Assessor of Income Tax): International Financial Centres and international tax standards – Prometheus bound or halcyon days? • John Nugent (PKF): International philanthropy on the Isle of Man • Richard Cassell & Penelope Williams (Withers): The US HIRE Act – catching overseas structures to ensure internal compliance • Stephen Colderwood & Nigel Callin (Fedelta Pensions Ltd): EFRBS, QNUPS and QROPS – an Isle of Man perspective • Luke Harris (Barrister, 3 Stone Buildings): Re: Hastings-Bass – the gallows or a stay of execution? • Aileen Barry (DLA Piper): Exchanges of information – turning a potential threat into an opportunity John Rimmer, Local Group Head of Private Client and Trusts at Appleby Isle of Man, comments: “Appleby is delighted to sponsor the STEP Conference this year. I am sure that everyone attending the Conference will enjoy a fulfilling day hearing from some of the most influential practitioners. We very much look forward to seeing everyone there”. The Conference is open to STEP members, STEP students and other interested parties; a limited number of places is still available. Anyone wishing to attend should call Sharon Kelly on 637696 for a booking form and further information. Ends