Certificate in Property Law and Conveyancing for Legal Executives

Programme objectives

On completion of this training programme, participants will be able to:

• Summarise the steps in a conveyancing transaction;
• Review documentation in relation to conveyancing transactions and identify problem issues arising;
• Lodge applications in the Land Registry and identify common errors with the preparation of documents to be lodged;
• Discuss the historical background of land law, its policy goals, and modern position;
• Describe and outline the rights, equitable principles, and legislation that govern how land is acquired, held, and transferred in Ireland.

Programme structure and approach to learning

This certificate is an innovative programme that will offer legal executives an opportunity to develop their practical skills and conveyancing knowledge. The course will provide participants with a grounding in the property law principles that underpin conveyancing practice. The course gives a comprehensive review of the legal documentation that is produced during a conveyancing transaction to include contract for sale, family law declarations and requisitions on title. Students will gain an understanding of all the steps in a conveyancing transaction from initial instructions and investigation of title through to completion and registration in the Property Registration Authority.

Modules

The programme is based on the following module scheme and covers key themes as listed below

Module 1: Introduction to property law

• The historical background, evolution, and policy goals of land law,
• Ownership and legal estates,
• Governing legislation and case law.

Module 2: Conveyancing transaction overview

• Steps in a conveyancing transaction,
• File management,
• General Data Protection Regulation; anti-money-laundering.

Module 3: The contract stage

• Why investigate title?
• The Conditions of Sale 2019,
• Requisitions on Title 2019.

Module 4: Discrete areas of conveyancing practice

• New developments,
• Dealing with the banks,
• The family home.

Module 5: Closing and post-completion

• Closing documentation – acting for the vendor,
• Taxation and stamping,
• Property Registration Authority masterclass for legal executives,
• Scheduling of title documents.

Workshops

Workshops are a key feature of this course and the online release of lectures is bookended by online workshops. These are designed to be interactive and involve working through  selected case-study problems and analysis, with an emphasis on the application of conveyancing law to common scenarios encountered in practice.

Assessments

Continuous assessment (30%) and final written assignment (70%).

Who should attend?

The course is open to applications from legal executives with a minimum of two years’ experience working in property practice. Applicants should explain their interest in the course and set out any relevant experience in a cover letter and a brief CV.

Faculty

Lecturers and tutors are leading practitioners and experienced educators in the area of conveyancing practice. Previous lecturers on the course have included:

• Gabriel Brennan, Law Society of Ireland,
• Joe Thomas, O’Reilly Thomas Solicitors,
• Joanna Jackson, Sean Costello Solicitors,
• Martin Colman, Dillon Eustace,
• Rachel Niall, Chief State Solicitor’s Office,
• Michelle McLoughlin, McLoughlin & Co. Solicitors,
• Áine Gleeson, AMOSS,
• Áine Ruddy, Property Registration Authority,
• David Soden, Solicitor.

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. Please note that the limit for e-learning has been removed for the 2021 CPD cycle. For further information, visit the CPD scheme  and download the CPD booklet.

The Diploma Centre team will host our annual CPD conference in November 2021. 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.