Students offered a taste of the law

STUDENTS from 26 high schools across the Geelong region will get the chance to put questions to some of the state’s top judges next week.

The local schools are taking part in VCE Legal Studies Week, which is being held online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The week is being headlined by virtual sessions offering students the opportunity to ask questions of judges in the County Court.

Judge Felicity Hampel (below) said the event was a chance for students to gain a better understanding of the justice system.

“The law and the courts are a critical part of living in a free and democratic society,” she said. “What I hope students do get is a sense of the law being for, and about, everyone.

“The law can be quite remote to people. Particularly when you’re at school, you don’t often see how it impacts on your life and on other people’s lives.”

Students involved in the week-long event will be exposed to topics including sentencing, specialist courts and what it is like to be a judge’s associate.

Judge Hampel said working in the legal system offered a rewarding career.

“You’ve got the chance to redress wrongs for people and that’s really important; to make people feel they’re not voiceless or powerless, no matter who they are or where they come from,” she said.

She said the younger generation’s tech skills positioned them to adapt to new methods of delivering justice.

Victorian courts have relied heavily on technology this year, with virtual hearings.

“I think it’s a terrific advantage for young people, because young people are used to these different forms of social media that can enable e-communication rather than face-toface,” Judge Hampel said.