Application information

Solicitors and Trainees

To pay online click on the 'Book Now' button. For all other methods of payment including, draft, cheque and EFT please see our methods of payment .

Other Professionals

We welcome applications for this course from suitably qualified professionals. Your application must be approved before you can formally register on the course. To apply please email the following documents to diplomateam@lawsociety.ie :

1. A completed application form (see below)
2. Your Curriculum Vitae
3. A short cover letter setting out your relevant experience

Please note, for non-members this course is subject to a supplemental fee of €300 bringing the total course fee to €2,900. No fees are required prior to approval.

Download

• Application form (word - for PC use)
• Application form (pdf - for handwritten use)
• Timetable
• Faculty booklet

Click the icon above to view the course brochure .

Further information on this course including course structure, module scheme, faculty and workshop dates are set out below. Clicking on the links will bring you directly to that section or simply scroll through to read all the content.

• Programme structure
• Modules
• Workshops
• Assessments
• Who should attend?
• Faculty
• CPD

Programme structure and approach to learning

The legal landscape in Ireland has changed significantly in terms of financial services law and regulation. With an increase in Irish and European legislation creating awareness across all organisations in relation to their legal risks and compliance and acknowledgment of the pressing need for diligent risk management, this diploma aims to provide comprehensive knowledge of the area of compliance and an introduction to risk management.

The course begins with an introduction to regulation from both an Irish and European perspective and provides an understanding of the role of compliance within an organisation, before discussing the effect of the relevant regulation and the role of the various regulatory bodies on the operation of the compliance function within an organisation. 

There will be in-depth coverage of Anti-Money Laundering, Risk Management, Compliance and Governance. The course will also examine the impact of both civil and criminal liability for breach of regulatory obligation, corporate compliance together with defences and up-to-date case law in relation to risk, and compliance management failures. 

This diploma will develop and reinforce skillsets allowing professionals or persons wishing to get in to the area to meet the required standards. Furthermore it will enhance skills, judgement and the ability to deal with practical issues in the management and practice of compliance or risk in any organisation.

Programme objectives

On successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain and understand the principles of regulation from both an Irish and European perspective;
• Understand the role of compliance within an organisation;
• Describe the effect of the relevant regulation and the role of the various regulatory bodies on the operation of the compliance function within an organisation;
• Describe where the compliance function fits within an organisation;
• Critically evaluate the importance of ethics and their role in the compliance function;
• Analyse the relationship between risk management and compliance function;
• Critically evaluate the importance of the obligations imposed by the AML/CTF legislation on credit and financial institutions including, and in particular, the designated Money Laundering Reporting Officers;
• Explain and understand the legislative requirements in relation to AML/CTF, compliance and risk;
• The requirements in relation to the obligations for reporting suspicious transactions, record-keeping, training and corporate governance;
• Understand the impact on both the civil and criminal liability for breach of obligations; corporate compliance defence and up to date case law in relation to risk and compliance management failures.

Modules

The course runs over six months and is divided into seven modules: 

• Module 1: Introduction to the principles and practices of regulation in Ireland;
• Module 2: The legal foundations of compliance;
• Module 3: Regulatory compliance;
• Module 4: The role of the Compliance Officer;
• Module 5: Introduction to risk management/ enterprise risk management;
• Module 6: Anti-money laundering;
• Module 7: Corporate governance & regulation.

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 maximise the learning experience.Workshops take place on occasional Saturdays.

Assessments

2,500-word written assignment (80%) and continuous assessment (20%).

Who should attend?

This course is suitable for the following:

• Solicitors, barristers and trainees, and other suitably qualified professionals with an interest in compliance and risk in the financial services industry or those wish to expand their knowledge in the area of compliance and risk with a view to moving into the area;
• Solicitors and other suitable professionals who wish to familiarise themselves with compliance and risk;
• Directors or relevant professionals who wish to familiarise themselves with compliance and risk issues in relation to the financial services industry and/or other organisations. 

We welcome applications from others who are suitably qualified. Please explain your interest and set out any relevant experience in a cover letter and a brief CV. Please note, for non-members this course is subject to a supplemental fee of €300 bringing the total course fee to €2,900. No fees are required prior to approval.

Faculty

Lecturers will be drawn from solicitors, barristers, accountants, compliance officers, risk management officers and others with experience and expertise in the areas of compliance and risk:

• Ciara O’Grady, CRO, Revolut Securities Europe Limited.
• Ursula Earley, General Counsel, Inver Energy Ltd,
• Paula Reid, Partner, A&L Goodbody,
• Patrick Ambrose, Chief Legal Officer, DDL Ireland,
• Garret Byrne BL,
• Seán McDermott, Compliance Officer, SMBC Aviation Capital,
• Dr.Katherine O’Keefe, Castlebridge,
• Aoife Sexton, Chief Privacy Officer, Trūata,
• Stephen Moran BL,
• Rose-Marie Kennedy, EU Regulatory Relations Lead at Wells Fargo.

CPD

We have designed our courses to enable you to satisfy as much of your CPD requirement as possible. Time spent attending lectures and workshops in person or completing these via e-learning as part of your course can be claimed towards your annual CPD requirement. The number of hours of CPD that you may claim in relation to your diploma/certificate course will depend on the way in which you access each of the individual sessions. For further information, visit the CPD scheme and download the CPD booklet. 

Contact

Patricia Harvey, Course Leader: P.Harvey@LawSociety.ie .

*Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in these pages is accurate and up to date. However timetables and course content are subject to change and date and time changes may occur due to factors beyond our control.

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