Legal training is at the core of Pitman

Sep 28 2007 By Karen Wilson, The Journal

PITMAN Training has been providing secretarial training for over 130 years, ever since the founding of the first Pitman Secretarial School by Sir Isaac Pitman in 1870.

Today Pitman Training is the largest independent training provider in the UK, with more than 90 centres training more than 50,000 students every year.

Legal secretarial training has always been a core part of the Pitman Training business, with a range of seven short courses to provide an introduction to aspects of law, covering:

• Legal Secretary – Introduction,

• Civil Litigation,

• Company Law,

• Conveyancing,

• Criminal Law,

• Family Law; and

• Wills & Probate.

Each course takes seven to eight hours and covers the basics of the subject, giving legal secretaries an overview and understanding of the main terminology.

“The courses are all computer-based, so students can study whenever it suits them best,” says Jill Stevens of Pitman Training in Newcastle. “Each course can be studied as a full-day, two half-days or four two-hour sessions. A tutor is always on hand to help.”

Importantly for both the student and their employer, each course includes independently marked validation exercises, demonstrating that the learning has been effective. The student receives an internationally recognised certificate on completion of the course.

Pitman Training is constantly reviewing the content of its courses.

New for Autumn 2007 are updates for Conveyancing and Family Law.

The Conveyancing course has been updated to include information on the Home Information Packs and is available now.

The revised Family Law course has been updated to include changes to the divorce petition and reference to the Civil Law Partnership Act. This updated course will be published in October.

These specialist courses can be studied individually or as part of the Pitman Training Legal Secretary Diploma. The latter covers all of the skills required by a legal secretary, including touch typing to 60 wpm, audio typing, Microsoft Word to Expert level, Microsoft Outlook and Effective Business Communication.

“We talk to a lot of HR managers and recruitment consultants and it is clear that there is a real shortage of qualified legal secretaries in the Newcastle area,” Jill said. “Our courses can help North- East law firms to upskill their existing support staff and to recruit experienced secretaries from other industry sectors who don't have any legal experience.”

For more information on the range of Pitman Training legal secretarial courses, call (0191) 241-1122 or visit www.pitman-training.com/newcastle