Students connect with the legal system at the County Court

More than 80 VCE Legal Studies students recently took part in our latest Metro Law Talk, held at the Victorian County Court. The event offered students a unique opportunity to explore how the law intersects with everyday life through a series of engaging and informative sessions.

Students began the day with an engaging session on the role of a jury in a criminal trial from Juries Commissioner Paul Dore and Deputy Juries Commissioner Laurie Rumbold. The session sought to help students understand their civic duties, the processes of selecting a jury, including exemptions and challenges, and why it’s an important part of the Court system.

Following the juries session, barristers from the Victorian Bar spoke to students to help them understand the roles of a legal practitioner in the civil and criminal justice system. They provided examples of real-life case studies they had worked on and shared their experiences of being a lawyer, answering questions from students about daily life in the legal profession.

Students also had the opportunity to participate in an interactive session run by the Victoria Law Foundation. Informed by data from our Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS), students were quizzed to spot the legal problems in everyday life examples and learn how to navigate common problems that have a legal aspect, such as employment problems or bullying.

The day concluded with a presentation from Naarm Law Students, who unpacked the ins and outs of voting. For many of the VCE students attending, the federal election in May will be their first time participating in democratic voting. The Naarm Law Students provided information on how the voting system works, including obligations and how to enrol to vote, and understanding the ballot cards they will be facing come May 3 2025.

VLF hosts a range of free Law Talks across regional and metropolitan areas for students. As a state-wide service, we aim to provide opportunities for education that may not be otherwise available or easily accessible to regional locations through these programs. You can request a Law Talk for your students.