Law Talks Intensive brings the law to life for students in Sale

Discussing legal issues with a retired Supreme Court judge or police powers with a Senior Constable is not your average activity for VCE Legal Studies students. But more than 250 students from Sale and surrounding areas did just that – all part of Victoria Law Foundation’s recent Law Talks Intensive Program at Gippsland Grammar School.

Victoria Law Foundation’s Executive Director Joh Kirby said the program aims to engage students with the law and to encourage them to take an active and lifelong interest in their legal system. ‘Our Law Talks Intensive program is tailored to the VCE curriculum, but it focuses on helping students to think about the law beyond the classroom,’ Ms Kirby said.

Over two days, students heard from a broad range of presenters. They included representatives from the Victorian Law Reform Commission, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, the Supreme Court of Victoria, Victoria Police, the Juries Commissioner’s Office, the Gippsland Community Legal Centre and the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.

Highlights included a sexting mock trial coordinated by Gippsland Community Legal Centre, mediation role-play, and interactive exam tips sessions. Students also visited the Sale Magistrates’ Court and met with His Honour Magistrate Alsop, learning about a typical day in the life of a magistrate and what it’s like to hear criminal law matters.

The following schools participated in the Law Talks Intensive program:

• Bairnsdale Secondary College

• Lavalla Catholic College

• Gippsland Grammar

• Maffra Secondary College

• Nagle College

• Catholic College Sale

• Traralgon Secondary College

• Yarram Secondary College.

For more information about our Law Talks Intensive, visit www.victorialawfoundation.org.au