Imagine the scene: fresh-faced school kids, brows furrowed, wrestling with definitions such as: ‘Appropriation: any assumption by a person of the rights of an owner amounts to an appropriation, and this includes, where he has come by the property (innocently or not) without stealing it, any later assumption of a right to it by keeping or dealing with it as owner.’

This is how the new University of Law plans to bring the ‘law to life’ with its free teaching resource pack for schools. The pack includes a scenario where a student is arrested and charged with looting during riots. A criminal record would scuttle the student’s hopes of becoming a lawyer. What’s more, they didn’t do it, but know who did: their big brother. Grass him up and salvage a legal career? Or let family loyalties wreck their future? Years 11 and 12 students are asked to read extracts from the Theft Act 1968, answer questions and then participate in a role-play around the scenario.

Obiter looks forward to meeting ‘law to life’ alumni as they progress through the profession – or perhaps decide the game isn’t worth the candle.