Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance

Programme structure and approach to learning

This course represents a collaboration between the Law Society of Ireland and The Wheel, a national organisation that represents and supports community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises in Ireland.  The course provides practitioners and those working in the charity, community, and voluntary sectors with an overview of the law and best practice in the relevant areas. The sector has faced many challenges in recent times, and public trust needs to be restored. 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 in terms of funding and competitive tendering herald changes that need to be taken on board to shape the future of this sector in Ireland. 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 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
• 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 blended-learning approach and the use of an online forum ensures that attendees can learn both from lecturers and from the knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer aspect that is encouraged in interactive sessions.

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.

Assessments

3,500-word written assignment (85%) and continuous assessment (15%).

Discounts

Members of the Wheel are eligible for a 10% discount off their fee (i.e. €1,395 for solicitors, €1,485 for non-solicitors).

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:

• Marguerite Bolger BL
• Katie Cadden, Solicitor, Board Member of Charities Regulatory Authority
• Colin Skehan, Merchant’s Quay
• Tony Ward, The Wheel
• Maria Hill, Youth Work Ireland
• Stuart Garland, Volunteer Ireland
• Daragh O’Brien, Castlebridge
• Michelle O’Keefe, Goodbody Stockbrokers
• Ruth Lambkin, Goodbody Stockbrokers
• Gillian Lynch, Bank of Ireland
• Ivan Cooper, The Wheel
• Cormac Ó Ceallaigh, Cormac Ó Ceallaigh Solicitors
• Elizabeth Bolger, The Wheel
• Mary O’Kennedy, O’Kennedy Consulting
• Abby Semple, Associate Consultant on behalf of Achilles Ireland
• Roseanna O’Hanlon, Crowe

CPD

The number of hours of CPD that you may claim in relation to this course will depend on the way in which you access each of the individual sessions. For further information and the booklet, see CPD scheme.