Chapter 1 Questions for reflection and discussion

1.       To what extent do you agree or disagree with the images and pre-conceptions set out in the introduction to the book that I have written for my blog?

2.       What other images of law do you have?

3.       How have you acquired your knowledge about law? [A useful exercise, to see the extent to which law affects our lives, often without realizing it, is to read any daily newspaper carefully from cover to cover. Ask yourself: which items deal with some aspect of the practice of law, the making of law, the resolution of disputes? Consider not just home news pages or specialist law pages, but the whole paper, including the international pages, the business pages, and the sports pages. You will be surprised how many stories have a legal dimension to them.]

4.       Have you, or any member of your family, had any personal experience of going to law, for example as a witness or a juror? If so, what did you learn about the legal system as a result?

5.       How would you seek to engage the interest of the mass media in law and the legal system?

6.       What effect do you think televising court proceedings would have on public perceptions of law?

7.       Has anyone you know undertaken jury service? What did they think of the experience?

8.       Do you agree that public legal education is important? How do you think public legal education can best be promoted?