Exploring The Law During The Course

The Foundation of Law in Society

I believe that law underpins every aspect of life, with its inherent interdisciplinary nature being borne from its ability to seamlessly interact with each facet of society and its development. It is far more than just a boundary between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’; it has the potential to adapt to suit society’s needs, requiring legal scholars to make a commitment to lifelong learning. Having visited several law fairs, where I had the opportunity to learn more about different course options, career possibilities, and prospective employers, I have settled on this particular course as a result of its diverse range of available modules.

Exploring The Law During The Course

During my induction week at City, University of London, we were required to attend an activity known as the ‘Out & About’. Now, you may all be asking yourselves, ‘Is this really necessary?’ or ‘Is it worth it?’ and the answer is simply YES! Not only did this activity let me familiarize myself with my tutorial group, but it also gave me the opportunity to explore Legal London and visit sites I had never seen before, even though I have lived in London my whole life! The activity also gave me my first real insight into conducting legal research. Questions about the ‘real’ law started to arise, prompting me to think about issues I would have never considered if I had simply read ordinary law books.

The various landmarks we were required to visit included Lincoln's Inn, Carey Street, the Law Society, Chancery Lane, and Ede & Ravenscroft. My tutorial group and I met at the Bandstand located outside the main building at City, and then we ventured off together. One of the landmarks we visited was the Law Society in Chancery Lane. I was extremely excited and eager to visit this location. Upon arriving, I was immediately struck by the conspicuous architecture of the building. It truly was an unforgettable site. After doing further research on the Law Society, I found out that it was the first-ever law society, founded in 1823. It came about when many of London’s solicitors united to raise awareness of the profession's reputation by setting standards and ensuring practice (Smith, 2020).

While researching this landmark, I discovered that by 1922 it was the first-ever society to admit women members (Johnson, 2019). Another significant landmark we explored was Ede & Ravenscroft. Now, you may be thinking, ‘A tailor’s? Why is this significant?’ and trust me, we were all thinking the same thing. However, after doing some further research, I found out that this was London’s oldest tailor and robe maker, founded in 1689 (Brown, 2021). I believe that lawyers and judges are not only required to exhibit certain qualities such as patience, intelligence, ethics, courage, integrity, and the ability to communicate, but are also required to dress in a certain way. Their attire should be dignified, professional, and respectful. Their image helps build integrity and commands respect from clients and society.

Additionally, it also provides a unique visual character to their professional image. Ede & Ravenscroft’s quality of work earned them the honor of creating robes for the coronation of Their Majesties William and Mary and later producing large numbers of ceremonial robes for the coronation of His Majesty King George III. They soon became the main supplier to the royal family (Williams, 2018).

The Significance of Legal Education

Ultimately, I can safely say that overall, it was a very exciting and interesting day. It made me more eager and apprehensive to start my law degree. I believe lawyers are in a unique position to make a difference and promote equality. Legal education not only provides knowledge but also instills a sense of responsibility to uphold justice and fairness in society. I can think of few worthier occupations, and I cannot wait to begin this course so that I might start to learn more about the potential directions in which I could take.