Obituary: Francesca Jaszczyk

It is with great sadness that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council announces that our trainee solicitor, Francesca Jaszczyk, passed away last year after a short illness.

Fran began working at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in 2018 as a paralegal. She was awarded a training contract which she commenced in May 2019. Fran was a much-loved member of the legal team who was conscientious and enthusiastic. Fran was always a positive person who brightened up the office and, more recently, brightened up a video call. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Fran and she has left a significant gap in our team both as a colleague and as a friend. This tragic news has been a shock to the local legal community and Fran’s family have received many messages, some of which include:

'This is truly dreadful news, please pass on my sincere condolences to her family and friends' (message from a judge in Sheffield).

'I really liked Fran, I felt she really had it, that thing that elevates someone from being ok or good and makes them clearly great, she had gumption, it makes it so much harder knowing she was clearly going the be better than most of us could hope to be' (message from a solicitor who had previously worked with Fran).

Fran was an intelligent young woman with a natural ability in the law and who had a particular interest in social care law. Fran was popular with clients as her personality meant that she could effortlessly make them feel at ease. She was going to be an excellent solicitor and had a promising career ahead of her.

Fran studied law at Sheffield Hallam University between 2014 and 2017 before completing her Legal Practice Course at the University of Law in Leeds in 2018. She completed a legal placement during her degree at Sheffield City Council where her interest in local government legal practice was sparked.

Outside of work Fran gave her time generously to many different causes and was always looking for ways to help others and regularly fundraised by completing events such a Race for Life, Tough Mudder and the Colour Dash. More recently Fran was a volunteer during the pandemic, carrying out shopping for the vulnerable and collecting prescriptions.

Fran was a wonderful dancer having danced since the age of 3 and prior to university she spent a gap year pursuing this passion. Fran danced tap, jazz and modern ballet at the McMahon School of Dance in Swinton, Rotherham and at the New English Royal Contemporary Ballet School in Nottingham.

Fran also loved animals and held the view that a house was not a home without a dog. Fran had recently acquired a puppy, Gus, who now provides Fran’s family with much comfort. Fran supported animal charities and donations have been made in Fran’s name to Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity (BARC) and Homeward Hound.

Our deepest condolences are expressed to Fran’s parents Kim and Steve Jaszczyk and her brother Andy.