The Diploma in Trust and Estate Planning is offered jointly by the Law Society of Ireland and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). The course has been designed by practitioners with specialist exposure to give a practical insight into key estate planning, legal and tax-based concerns for private clients in the area of trust and estates. The focus of the diploma course is to enable successful candidates to advise clients on all aspects of the creation of wills, the operation of trusts, associated tax implications, and overall estate planning for clients. Practical in its approach, this course prepares participants to deal with with real-life situations that practitioners face, providing real solutions to challenges encountered.
The Diploma in Trust and Estate Planning programme is based on the following module scheme and covers key themes as listed below*:
Workshops are interactive sessions that focus on group problem-solving and are designed to revise all modules covered to date and to consolidate the student’s knowledge.
| Workshop | Title | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic Tax Computations (including case study) | TBC | 10am-1:45pm |
| 2 | Lifetime Planning | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 3 | Estate Planning | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 4 | Trust Drafting | TBC | 10am-3:30pm |
| 5 | Administration of Trusts | TBC | 10am-2:30pm |
| 6 | Taxation of Trusts | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 7 | Will Drafting | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 8 | Taxation of Estates | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 9 | Applying for the Grant / Duties of Personal Representatives | TBC | 10am-2:30pm |
| 10 | Estate Litigation / Applications / Pleadings | TBC | 10am-1:30pm |
| 11 | Exam Preparation workshop | TBC | 10am-5pm |
| Course Location | Dublin |
| Location Postcode | Dublin 7 |
| Course Type | Blended Learning - Mix of Classroom & Online |
| Awarding Body | Law Society of Ireland |
| Awarding Body Details | Postgraduate Diploma |
| Course Start Date | 26th September 2026 |
| Course End Date | 13th March 2027 |
| Course Duration | 5 months |
| Course Time | Live lectures on Wednesday evenings, with occasional online lecture releases. Interactive onsite workshops on Saturdays. Lectures available to view on demand. |
| Course Fee | € 3400.00 |
| Entry Requirements | The course is intended primarily for persons who have practical experience in the areas of wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, and the administration of estates within Ireland. In order to participate on the course, you must have relevant work experience of at least one year in the areas covered on the course and one or more of the following qualifications: solicitor, barrister, certified accountant, chartered accountant, associate or fellow of the Irish Taxation Institute, associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (Trustee Diploma), associate of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland (Diploma in Wealth Management), member of the Irish Institute of Legal Executives, or another professional qualification deemed equivalent by the Law Society and STEP. To apply for the course, applicants should first apply for STEP Affiliate membership before registering for the course. Successful completion of the course provides a structured route to full membership of STEP and the use of the internationally recognised ‘registered trust and estate practitioner’ designation. Please see STEP Ireland’s website (www.step.ie ) for full details of membership criteria. We welcome applications for this course from suitably qualified non-solicitors. Such applications are subject to a supplemental fee of €200. |
Programme objectives On completion of this training programme, participants will have: An excellent understanding of the key legal issues pertaining to current pensions law and practice and trusteeship in Ireland.
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