Legal / Law Training Course on Banking & Financial Services Regulation

Module 1: Legal Foundations of Banking and Financial Regulation
Overview:
Explores the legal principles and rationale for regulating financial institutions and markets.
Key Topics:
Purpose and objectives of financial regulation
The legal nature of banks and financial institutions
Role of central banks and financial supervisory authorities
Legal sources: statutes, regulations, and regulatory directives
Global regulatory bodies: BIS, IOSCO, IMF, FATF, and World Bank
Practical Focus:
Case study on the evolution of financial regulation post-2008 financial crisis.

Module 2: Banking Law and Prudential Supervision
Overview:
Covers the laws and supervisory requirements governing the establishment and operation of banks.
Key Topics:
Licensing and authorization of banks
Corporate governance and board responsibilities
Capital adequacy requirements (Basel III and IV frameworks)
Liquidity and leverage ratios
Supervisory review and regulatory compliance monitoring
Enforcement and sanctions
Practical Focus:
Exercise on interpreting and applying prudential standards to a bank’s balance sheet.

Module 3: Financial Services Regulation and Market Conduct
Overview:
Focuses on the regulation of financial products, services, and institutions beyond traditional banking.
Key Topics:
Securities, insurance, and asset management regulations
Investment and advisory services regulation (MiFID II)
Consumer protection laws and fair lending practices
Cross-border financial services and regulatory cooperation
Market integrity and anti-competitive practices
Practical Focus:
Analysis of a case involving mis-selling of financial products and regulatory response.

Module 4: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CFT) Laws
Overview:
Examines the legal and compliance frameworks for preventing financial crimes.
Key Topics:
FATF Recommendations and AML/CFT frameworks
Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) requirements
Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR) and recordkeeping obligations
Beneficial ownership transparency
Legal consequences of non-compliance
Role of compliance officers and regulators
Practical Focus:
Group activity simulating an AML compliance audit and suspicious transaction review.

Module 5: Data Protection, Privacy, and Cybersecurity in Financial Services
Overview:
Addresses the intersection of data regulation, cybersecurity, and financial services law.
Key Topics:
Data protection principles (GDPR, local data protection acts)
Data sharing and confidentiality obligations
Cybersecurity governance frameworks for banks
Incident reporting and breach notification requirements
Legal liabilities in data misuse and breaches
Practical Focus:
Mock incident response exercise on a data breach in a financial institution.

Module 6: Corporate Governance and Ethical Compliance
Overview:
Explores legal and ethical governance frameworks within the financial sector.
Key Topics:
Principles of sound corporate governance for financial institutions
Roles of boards, committees, and executive management
Ethics, fiduciary duties, and conflicts of interest
Internal controls and compliance culture
Whistleblower protections and legal accountability
Practical Focus:
Case review of governance failures in financial institutions and remedial strategies.

Module 7: Financial Stability, Risk Management, and Crisis Resolution
Overview:
Analyzes the legal mechanisms for managing systemic risks and financial crises.
Key Topics:
Macroprudential and microprudential regulation
Resolution regimes for failing banks
Deposit protection and investor compensation schemes
Legal frameworks for emergency liquidity and bailouts
Role of central banks in crisis response
Practical Focus:
Simulation: Legal analysis of a bank resolution plan and regulatory intervention process.

Module 8: Fintech, Digital Banking, and Emerging Financial Technologies
Overview:
Examines the legal implications of technological innovation in financial services.
Key Topics:
Licensing and regulation of digital banks and payment service providers
Blockchain, crypto assets, and digital currency regulation
Open banking and data portability laws
Smart contracts and decentralized finance (DeFi)
Legal risks and compliance obligations for fintech startups
Practical Focus:
Workshop on designing a regulatory compliance framework for a fintech platform.

Module 9: International and Cross-Border Financial Regulation
Overview:
Explores global coordination in financial regulation and cross-border transactions.
Key Topics:
International banking supervision and regulatory convergence
Mutual recognition and equivalence regimes
Cross-border mergers, acquisitions, and financial integration
Offshore banking and tax compliance issues (CRS, FATCA)
International dispute resolution in financial law
Practical Focus:
Case analysis on regulatory cooperation and enforcement across jurisdictions.

Module 10: Capstone – Regulatory Strategy and Compliance Framework Design
Overview:
Integrates all course concepts into a practical, real-world financial regulation project.
Key Topics:
Designing a compliance management system for a financial institution
Drafting internal policies and regulatory reporting templates
Building a risk-based supervision model
Assessing the impact of new financial legislation and reforms
Capstone Project:
Participants will design and present a comprehensive compliance and regulatory framework for a hypothetical financial institution, including a governance model, AML/CFT
plan, and fintech integration strategy