Diploma in Insolvency & Corporate Restructuring (iPad)

*Price includes iPad2 Wi-Fi 16GB 

• Download an application form
• View the course timetable
• View the CPD entitlement

Contact Rory O’Boyle at r.oboyle@lawsociety.ie if you would like further information on the course as a prospective student or if you would like to discuss the possibility of collaborating with use on this course either by lecturing or tutoring.

Course outcomes
The course will provide in-depth and practical knowledge of the practice and procedure of insolvency and corporate restructuring in Ireland, from an analysis of basic concepts, such as, receiverships and liquidations to a consideration of more complex issues such as taxation and financing considerations that may arise during the corporate restructuring process.  This area of practice is the subject of major reform, with the publication on 25 January of the Heads of the Personal Insolvency Bill.  The course will give full coverage to the emerging reform programme covering the proposed Insolvency Service, Debt Relief Certificates, Debt Settlement Arrangements, Personal Insolvency Arrangements and the proposed role of personal insolvency trustees. 

The course will focus on typical ‘events’ during an insolvency process that a practitioner may be required to advise on, from the appointment of an examiner through to the possible liquidation of the company.  Further topics will provide a more in-depth analysis of related areas, such as, international and cross border insolvency and employee issues on insolvency. We will devote a module to the issues of personal insolvency and debt recovery, including bankruptcy and litigation against insolvent entities.

One of the aims of the course is to demonstrate the effectiveness of using devices such as the iPad as an educational tool and a mobile learning device, meaning that you can access your course ‘anytime’ and ‘anywhere’.  In addition, from a skills point of view this is an important technological development for busy legal professionals in their work-life as a means to manage time more effectively.  We will guide you on how to set up your iPad to operate as a ‘personal and professional information manager’.  A feature of the course will be a number of iPad clinics where we will have specialised IT personnel to answer any queries you may have. These will take place before the evening onsite lecture sessions in the first term.

This blended learning course will incorporate online tasks and quizzes.  20% of your final result will be allocated to your online participation including the completion of your weekly tasks and quizzes.

Course structure
This is a blended learning course comprising a mixture of onsite and online sessions.  The course runs over six months and is divided into four modules:

Module One: An introduction to insolvency and corporate restructuring
Module Two:Parties to the insolvency process
Module Three:Corporate recovery and corporate restructuring
Module Four: Personal insolvency, debt recovery & enforcement

Course materials and webcast lectures will be released to your iPad via the diploma website, known as Moodle.  Frequent use of the iPad and engaging online is a central element of this blended learning course.  If you are new to this way of learning and using iPads, there may and initial learning curve but nothing even those with limited IT skills can handle.  In order to ensure that participants receive the full benefit of the learning experience, the course commences with a ‘hands-on’ IT workshop in the Education Centre at Blackhall Place.  Participants are asked to attend all onsite sessions.

Workshops
Workshops are an integral part of the course and aim to be hands on and consolidate what is dealt with in the lectures. This course will be webcast online however onsite attendance for workshops is strongly advised to maximize the learning experience.

Who should attend
Solicitors are finding that clients increasingly require advice on insolvency and corporate recovery matters and this course is intended to provide participants with up-to-date knowledge of the law and practice in this area.  This diploma is primarily aimed at solicitors, barristers and trainees but may also appeal to suitably qualified non-legal professionals working in the business area who wish to expand their knowledge and practical application of corporate recovery.  Please note, if you are not a qualified solicitor, trainee or barrister you must apply with a cover letter and curriculum vitae for approval in order to attend the course.  This course will use the iPad to facilitate blended learning, which will appeal to those who have an open-minded approach to learning and are willing to try something new.  We will use active learning and there may be role-play and group work involved therefore we welcome participants who are willing to interact and share knowledge with colleagues.

Lecturers & tutors
Our courses emphasise a practical ‘know how’ approach to the law. Our lecturers and tutors are drawn from members of the profession with significant practice expertise in this area.