A national education charity has teamed up with the Law Society and London firm Mishcon de Reya in a campaign to introduce lessons on the law in schools across England and Wales.

The annual Big Legal Lesson, launched today by charity Young Citizens, provides free teaching resources, including lesson plans, assembly ideas and taster sessions. Young Citizens is inviting volunteers from the legal profession to get involved by delivering ‘The Big Legal Lesson’ at a local school.

The proposed lessons will explore what the law is, who has the power to change the law, and how these changes affect lives. The lessons will be suitable for children aged 5-18.

More than 200,000 children and young people have received a lesson on the rule of law and the justice system since the project’s inception in 2020. 

Nick Emmerson, Law Society president, said the Society was ‘delighted’ to support the Young Citizens initiative. He said: ‘Ensuring young learners know their rights and responsibilities, whilst respecting the rule of law, is vital to securing access to justice for all. Whether or not they go on to practise law, The Big Legal Lesson is a fantastic opportunity for pupils and students to understand how our justice system works and why it matters to them.’

Sherine Krause, executive director at Young Citizens, said: ‘With the support of volunteers from the legal profession, we know this year’s campaign will once again light the spark of legal literacy for thousands of learners across England and Wales.’

Verity Taylor, senior pro bono manager at Mishcon de Reya, said: ‘Legal literacy is vital for business, democracy and justice, but very few children and young people encounter the law during school. For this to change, we believe teachers need free and flexible resources to introduce topics like rights, responsibilities and the rule of law.’

 

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