Licensing and Accreditation Advisory
Sands Jurists licensing and accreditation consulting service provides legal authority, regulatory clarity, and market credibility for businesses and individuals. We help our clients through the life cycle of their licence and accreditation, from the establishment of a business to the maintenance of licences or accreditations as long as they continue to be compliant with the respective regulator’s requirements and maintain growth. Sands Jurist has extensive knowledge of the full life cycle of licensing and accreditation for commercial businesses and regulated professions i.e., healthcare, education, professional services, technical services. Each client receives guidance on which licensing option will best suit their specific business activities, ownership structure, and target market. Additionally, Sands Jurist assists clients in selecting the appropriate legal entity e.g., corporation, partnership, determining which licence category to pursue, preparing their business plans, corporate documents, and internal policies to meet the expectations of the regulators.
Licensing advisory
The team’s various licensing services include preparation and review of application and supporting documentation; drafting corporate resolutions and undertakings; coordinating with the appropriate regulatory agency to facilitate the submission and response to any questions regarding applications; preparation of amendments to licensing/accreditation; preparation of upgrades to licensing/accreditation; preparation of additions to licenses/accreditations; and preparing renewals to maintain continuity of business and avoid unnecessary interruptions to operations.
Accreditation and recognition
In many sectors, accreditation by a recognised body is essential to demonstrate quality, competence and adherence to technical or professional standards. Sands Jurist supports clients seeking accreditation from industry regulators, professional councils, quality and standards organisations or sector‑specific boards.
Our services include gap assessments against accreditation criteria, development or refinement of policies and procedures and preparation of staff, management and facilities for audits or inspections. We help clients document their governance, risk and quality frameworks in a way that clearly evidences compliance and best practice.
Ongoing compliance and risk reduction
Various industries need to be accredited by a reputable organisation to show that they meet certain quality levels and professional qualifications. Sands Jurist assists its clients with obtaining industry-accrediting bodies and regulators, professional councils, quality and standards organisations, and sector-specific boards to achieve their goals for accreditation.
The types of services we provide include assessing where clients are in comparison with their accrediting body’s minimums (gap assessments), developing or refining their policies and procedures, and preparing clients’ staff, management, and facilities for audits/inspections. Sands Jurist will also assist clients to create documentation that provides evidence of compliance with all regulatory requirements and implementation of best practices through their documented Governance, Risk, and Quality Frameworks.
Compliance and Risk Mitigation
As with all licences and accreditations, there are ongoing compliance obligations, including ongoing reporting compliance, “fit and proper” continuous compliance obligations, minimum staffing or capitalisation amounts, and periodic reviews. Sands Jurist will assist clients in understanding these compliance requirements and how to incorporate those responsibilities into their internal processes to minimise the risk of facing sanctions, suspension or non-renewal.
In addition, we will assist clients in the development of compliance calendars, compliance monitoring checklists, and internal controls based on the particular client’s individual regulatory environment and risk profile. When compliance concerns are identified, Sands Jurist will provide advice regarding implementation of remedial actions, voluntary disclosures, and communications strategies to restore and maintain confidence of the regulator.
By utilizing a combined approach of legal precision and practical regulatory insight, Sands Jurist equips our clients to evolve from being reactively compliant to strategically managing their Licensing and Accreditation processes in a forward-focused manner. Our model is based on collaborative thinking that is commercially focused while aligning the regulatory frameworks with the longer term business plan for each client. Along with assisting our clients with the documents associated with licensing and accreditation, we act as a trusted advisor who understands how the regulatory elements (i.e., approvals, conditions and standards) for licensure and accreditation impact the everyday operations and future growth opportunities for our clients. As a result of this partnership, our clients are free to dedicate their time and resources to delivering services and growing their businesses while being assured that the foundation supporting their licensure and accreditation is solid, defensible and established for the long term.