Legal Education in the Classroom: The Transformative Potential of Community Engaged Teaching and Learning

Can children master legal concepts while having fun? This innovative book explores two groundbreaking educational initiatives which bring legal education to primary schools across the UK and Ireland. It uniquely draws upon the fields of Law and Education to present best practice in engaging children and young people through law in education.

Drawing on compelling case studies of 'School Tasking' (inspired by the hit TV show Taskmaster) and Law in the Classroom at University College Dublin, the authors demonstrate how community-engaged teaching benefits both university students and schoolchildren. From mock trials in disadvantaged classrooms to interactive legal challenges, these educational programmes prove that young people are not only capable of legal literacy but enthusiastic to engage with justice issues.

Essential reading for educators seeking to demystify law, broaden access to legal careers, harness the transformative power of community partnerships in higher education, and widen access to legal education and the profession.

Dr Suzanne Egan is Associate Professor at the Sutherland School of Law at University College Dublin, Ireland.

Dr Deirdre McGillicuddy is Associate Professor in the School of Education in University College Dublin, Ireland.

Dr Alison Struthers is an Associate Professor (Reader) in the School of Law at the University of Warwick and the creator and project manager of the School Tasking legal outreach project, now running at universities across the UK and Ireland.