Law Society expects 2,500 to sign up for free global sports law course

The Law Society of Ireland is expecting as many as 2,500 people to sign up for its Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on sports law.

Over 1,600 participants from 29 countries have already signed up for the course, delivered in partnership with experts from across sports law.

The course is free of charge, open to all and begins on Tuesday 8 May 2018, covering highly topical issues such as sports governance, liability, child protection, sponsorship and gambling.

It will feature expert contributions from top sports lawyers, the GAA, World Rugby, the Irish Horse Racing Board, Sport Ireland, and the University of Melbourne.

Cliodhna Guy, head of legal for the Irish Horseracing Board, and Yvonne Nolan, legal counsel at World Rugby, are among the sports law experts contributing to the course.

Freda Grealy, head of the Law Society’s Diploma Centre (pictured), said: “This is our fifth MOOC and we have had over 9,000 participants from over 54 countries since 2014. We already have 1,635 students signed up for this year’s sports law MOOC from as far afield as Australia, Uruguay, Nigeria and Hong Kong – solicitors, sports professionals, police force members and many more.”

Ms Grealy added: “Public legal education and innovation in education has always been a core value of the Law Society. Anyone with an interest in sports law and an internet connection can be part of the MOOC learning community.

“We have really brought together the top seeds in the world of sports law and governance to contribute their expertise, free of charge, to this unique course.”