4 Alternative Training Providers to the MSc in Construction Law
Posted by Specialist Claims and Dispute Team, Maxim Recruitment on Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Following on from my recent blog titled ‘when and where to study a Masters in Construction Law' I received a number of enquiries from candidates asking me what alternatives there were to the Masters courses on offer in the UK.
We established in the last blog that the Masters in Construction Law is likely to cost you in the region of £10,000 - £12,000 and take at least 2 years to study for.
For some, the cost or the time required to study these courses may not be feasible. In this instance, you may decide to opt for one of several less time consuming or less costly alternatives but still enhance your skillset and make your CV more attractive to claims and disputes consultancies and employers.
If you feel that one of the various MSc / LLM courses in Construction Law are not quite right for you at present, here are 4 alternative training providers you may wish to research and consider further:
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators is widely regarded as the leading professional body when it comes to dispute resolution. They are a UK registered, not-for-profit charity which has global recognition in the claims and disputes sector.
They offer a host of training courses relevant to construction disputes, whether you are interested in mediation, adjudication, or arbitration. These courses include induction courses which allow you to become an associate member (ACIArb), pathway courses (modules en route to full membership and fellowship of the CIArb) as well as other courses related to construction claims and disputes.
Courses include (but are not limited to):
- Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
- Domestic Arbitration
- International Arbitration
- Construction Adjudication
- Mediation
- Avoiding and Resolving Contractual Disputes
Many of the courses offered by the CIArb are pathway courses to gaining membership and some have eligibility requirements, therefore I would recommend you contacting them directly to discuss which courses you are eligible for.
College of Contract Management (CCM)
The College of Contract Management is a highly respected training provider used by many of the construction industry’s leading employers.
They are a recognised training provider who have affiliations with many leading professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Association of Planning Engineers (APE), Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Therefore, completing courses via the CCM can often lead to associate membership of the aforementioned professional bodies.
They offer a variety of construction related training and have at least 4 specific training courses related to construction disputes, including:
- Forensic Diploma in Forensic Schedule Analysis
- Professional Diploma in Expert Witness
- Professional Diploma in Forensic Quantum Analysis
- Professional Diploma in Forensic Structural Engineering
Bond Solon
I know several clients that I work with use Bond Solon as an external training organisation for their staff who are already working in the construction disputes sector.
They are a well-respected UK based legal training and information company. They are not construction specific. However, they offer several courses that could be valuable to candidates carrying out expert witness work for construction disputes.
These include:
- Excellence in Report Writing
- Courtroom Skills
- Cross-examination Days
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious professional bodies in global construction. Having professional membership to the RICS or having received training affiliated with the RICS will certainly hold strong gravitas in the industry.
You will all likely be familiar with the routes to becoming a professional member of the RICS. However, you may be less familiar with the RICS’s Dispute Resolution Service Training (DRS). They offer a variety of training courses relating to mediation, adjudication, and arbitration in construction.
Courses the RICS offer include:
- Mediation Training Programme
- Expert Witness Certificate
- Diploma in Arbitration
- Diploma in Adjudication in the Construction Industry
- Adjudication Competencies Programme
- Foundation Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Conflict Avoidance
In Summary:
I hope that this information can be used as a starting point for you to carry out further research into alternative courses available to you to enhance your understanding of claims and disputes related subjects.
Whilst many of the above courses are shorter and less costly than studying an MSc / LLM in Construction Law, many can still cost considerable amounts of money and require time commitments on your behalf also. Therefore, I would highly recommend you consider fully whether they are beneficial to you and your career strategy before enrolling.
Finally, if cost is in an issue and enrolling in a course is still not feasible for you, there are a host of webinars, seminars and networking sessions which often include highly experienced construction disputes professionals which are often free or charge a small fee to attend. You can pick up some great insight from well-respected speakers at such events. These could be a useful alternative to the training courses and formal qualifications on offer. LinkedIn or Eventbrite are great ways to find such events.
Our specialist recruitment team are experts at sourcing staff for both Quantum and Delay jobs, from Consultant up to Director level. We work with Claims and Expert Witness consultancies who pay competitive salaries and lucrative bonuses, who are able to provide exposure to an exciting variety of construction disputes. We recruit for professionals in London, across the UK and in selected international locations.