Application information

We are no longer accepting applications for this course. If you are interested in applying for a future offering of the course please register for our Interested List.

Solicitors and Trainees

To pay online click on the 'Register Now' button. For all other methods of payment 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 €175 bringing the total course fee to €1,900. No fees are required prior to approval.

Download

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

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 objectives

On completion of this training programme, participants will have attained deep knowledge and insight into the following:

• Establishing a charity: legal structures & registration requirements;
• Governance codes & regulatory requirements;
• Managing risk;
• Managing finances; 
• Board responsibilities;
• Fundraising codes & procurement;
• Employment law, HR and volunteer policies;
• Keeping on top of data protection issues.

Programme structure and approach to learning

The charity sector in Ireland is facing many challenges due to the impact of Covid-19, in particular the effect it has had on fundraising and service continuity.  Additionally, the establishment of the Charities Regulator, increasing regulatory & funding requirements (including the introduction in late 2018 of the Regulator’s Charities Governance Code), and developments on the horizon for the sector in terms of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022  herald a period of significant changes to the sector in Ireland. 

This course, which represents a collaboration between the Law Society of Ireland and The Wheel, Ireland’s national charity association, provides practitioners and those working in charitable, social enterprise and community organisations with an overview of the law and best practice in the relevant areas. The course has a very practical emphasis and will equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to maintain integrity and uphold standards.

Modules

The Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance programme is based on the following module scheme and covers key themes as listed below:

Module 1: Introduction

• Recent trends in the charity sector in Ireland,
• Regulation of charities and the Charities Act 2009,
• The legal framework & legal structures for charities.

Module 2: Finance & Fundraising

• Legislative framework for fundraising,
• Regulation of & best practice for fundraising,
• Financial reporting: Statutory requirements,
• Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).

Module 3: Governance

• Charities Regulator’s Charities Governance Code,
• Implementation and related issues,
• Risk assessments and managing risk.

Module 4: Strategy and management

• Management, human resource and volunteer policies,
• Charities & corporate governance,
• Data protection issues,
• Employment law,
• Outcomes approach,
• Procurement and tendering.

Our learning approach and the use of an online forum ensure that attendees can learn both from lecturers and from the knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer aspect that is encouraged in interactive sessions. 

Workshops

Workshops are interactive sessions that focus on group problem-solving and are designed to encourage candidates to engage in problem-solving scenario questions with a tutor who has specialised knowledge of the subject area.

Assessments

2,500-word written assignment (85%) and continuous assessment (15%).

Discounts

Members of the Wheel are eligible for a 10% discount off their fee.

Who should attend?

The course will appeal to those in practice who advise charitable organisations. It will also appeal to those working in the sector or those who hold positions on boards of organisations or in a management capacity. We invite lawyers and individuals involved with the sector to apply.

If you are not a qualified solicitor, trainee, or barrister, please apply with a cover letter and CV for approval to attend the course. Please note, for non-members this course is subject to a supplemental fee of €175 bringing the total course fee to €1,900. No fees are required prior to approval.

Faculty

Lecturers and tutors will be drawn from solicitors, barristers, accountants, and others with expertise in the field of charity law, trusteeship and governance. Previous lecturers and current faculty include:

• Katie Cadden, Solicitor, Governance Consultant & Mediator,
• Tony Ward, The Wheel,
• Stuart Garland, Volunteer Ireland,
• Daragh O’Brien, Castlebridge,
• Ivan Cooper, The Wheel,
• Mary O’Kennedy, O’Kennedy Consulting,
• Philip Isard, Quality Matters,
• Andrea Shupinski, FCA, Chartered Accountant.
• Senan Turnbull, Community, voluntary and charities sector specialist,
• Rachel Cadden , BL,
• Deirdre Garvey, The Wheel,
• Mairead O’Connor, The Wheel,
• Nick Sparrow, Not for profit Consultant,
• Diarmaid O’Corrbui, Carmichael,
• Desmond Ryan B.L.
• Madeleine Delaney, The Charities Regulator,
• Dr. Clíona Saidléar, Rape Crisis Network Ireland,
• Jeanne Copeland, Greenville Procurement Partners,
• Hugh O’Reilly, The Wheel. 

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. 

The Diploma Centre team will host our annual CPD conference in November 2023. This complimentary event is a dedicated management and professional development skills and regulatory matters session. We will post an invitation on your Diploma Hub page later in the year. 

Contact

Suzanne Crilly, Solicitor, Course Leader: S.Crilly@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.