Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance 2026
Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance 2026
The charity sector has faced many challenges in recent times which have had particular impact on fundraising and service continuity. Additionally, the establishment of the Charities Regulator, increasing regulatory and funding requirements and the long-awaited enactment of the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024, herald a period of significant change for the sector in Ireland.
This course, delivered in 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, will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the law and best practice in the sector.
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 (Amendment) Act 2024
- The legal framework & legal structures for charities.
Module 2: Governance and Risk
- Charities Regulator’s Charities Governance Code
- Implementation and related issues
- Risk assessments and managing risk.
Module 3: Finance and Fundraising
- Legislative framework for fundraising
- Regulation of and best practice for fundraising
- Financial reporting: statutory requirements
- Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).
Module 4: Strategy and Management
- Management, human resource and volunteer policies
- Charities and corporate governance
- Data protection issues
- Employment law
- Procurement and tendering.
Module 5: Procurement, Outcome Measurement and Sector Challenges
- Outcomes approach
- Procurement and tendering
- Challenges for the sector.
Dates & Times:
- Friday, 20/03/2026 (9.30am–3.30pm)
- Saturday, 21/03/2026 (10am–3.30pm)
- Friday, 17/04/26 (10am- 1.00pm)
- Saturday, 18/04/26 (10am– 4.00pm)
- Friday, 22/05/26 (10am–1.00pm)
- Saturday, 23/05/26 (10am–4.00pm)
- Friday, 12/06/26 (10am-12.00pm)
- Saturday, 13/06/26 (10am-2.15pm)
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.
Members of The Wheel receive a 10% discount on course fees.
Find out more here. Alternatively, you can email Course Leader Suzanne Crilly, Solicitor, at s.crilly@lawsociety.ie.
The deadline to apply for this course is 6 March 2026.
You can find all the information you need to apply at the Law Society website.
Delivered in conjunction with:
Testimonials from previous participants
This course one of the most enjoyable courses I have completed. It was so well organised and the staff made the subject matter come alive with a variety of expert speakers. The mix of online and in-person lectures worked well, and the online learning platform allowed me to watch lectures back in my own time and to revisit information again as needed. The course encourages networking and meeting other professionals, which was a valuable part of it. A key interest for me was the financial module, and as a result of the course, I have a much clearer understanding of our responsibilities as a charity in relation to SORP and financial reporting.
As a non-legal professional, I was slightly nervous about commencing the course, but I would highly recommend it to any charity professional looking to upskill or refresh their knowledge in a range of areas relating to charity governance.
Claire McSweeney
Manager, Ballymun Community Law Centre
A feature of the course is the high standard of teaching, provided online, and /or in person, with access to electronic resources including recordings of the lectures, library resources and the facility for group discussion and the exchange of experience and ideas.
The lectures, of which there are many, are expert in legal detail coming from different backgrounds with a wide range of experience in guidance and management of charities in what is, as in other areas of Law a rapidly developing field. The course, like others is very well structured, with different lectures focusing on different aspects of regulation as they apply to different settings. The course will enable its students to advise themselves, in varying settings, rather than be advised.
John P. (Sean) Kent Ph.D.