Learning and business services group AdVal revealed a tie up with legal training body The College of Law together with an acquisition. The agreement covers the development of electronic training both on-line and off-line, the design and development of a learning portal for on-line training and the marketing and sale of products either owned by the college or jointly developed with AdVal. Initial contracts will have an initial value of £500,000 and include a conversion to the internet of the Professional Stage Law Course for accountants and web-based training to support the Legal Practise Course, which every solicitor must take before they can practise. The board evidently believes that there is great potential in the legal training sector. In a separate announcement AdVal announced the acquisition of the remaining stake in connect2law, an e-learning company in which it previously had a 33.3% stake. The company took an initial stake last October and issued 465,681 shares and £5,000 in cash for the remaining 66.7%. Under the College of Law tie-up, all connect2law contracts will transfer to AdVal as the acquisition is brought under the group umbrella. House broker Old Mutual expects the group to post a £370,000 pre-tax profit for the year to 31 March 2001, with £650,000 to follow in 2002. AdVal unveiled a pre-tax profit of £176,000 last time.