Governance and Risk Management in Private Client Law: Trusts and Charities

This course will cover:

• the formation and structure of trusts and charitable entities
• the duties and liabilities of trustees and charity directors
• compliance obligations under charity, trust, and financial crime legislation
• the implications of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, including the new failure to prevent fraud offence (effective 1 September 2025)
• the design of proportionate governance and risk management systems

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• explain the legal structures and regulatory frameworks governing trusts and charities in England and Wales
• identify and interpret the fiduciary and statutory duties owed by trustees and charity directors, and the consequences of breaches
• apply key compliance and reporting obligations imposed by the Charity Commission, HMRC and other regulators, including anti-money laundering and safeguarding requirements
• analyse the implications of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, particularly the new failure to prevent fraud offence for larger charities, and design appropriate preventative procedures
• conduct a proportionate risk assessment, recognising strategic, operational, financial and compliance risks across trust and charity contexts
• develop governance and oversight strategies that promote accountability, transparency, and long-term sustainability

Course format

This online course consists of the following elements:

• an interactive course presentation, with a variety of knowledge checks spaced throughout to test understanding of the material as the learner progresses
• an end-of-course assessment consisting of 10 questions

Our courses conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1. However, some members may require an alternative version for accessibility purposes. This is available upon request via our contact us form.

Assessment

In order to pass the assessment, you must achieve a pass mark of 70%.

The knowledge checks included in the course presentation are intended to aid your understanding of the content and offer the opportunity to apply your knowledge. They do not form part of the assessment.