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Editorial  

Sarah Morse 

Northumbria University, UK 

sarah.morse@northumbria.ac.uk  

 

 

As ever, this issue of the journal provides wonderful examples of work in the field as 

well as highlighting continuing scope, and need, for further progress and 

development.  We see the possibility of utilising different approaches to teaching and 

learning in Public Legal Education (PLE) and considerations to take into account when 

drawing on existing pedagogy and resources.  

Our issue starts with an article by Latia Ward which looks at the origins of law-related 

education in the United States and its interpretation at state level in K-12 education, 

which is predominantly as a means of preventing violence.  The author looks beyond 

this asserting that law related education is a branch of civics with a wider brief to be 

taught in schools (and indeed also outside of the classroom), across all states and 

beyond the remit of violence prevention.  Ward makes a strong case for its inclusion 

as part of K-12 education and explores this within the context of her own experience 

developing programmes and reflecting upon lessons learnt and key resources.   

Our second article, by Abiodun Michael Olatokun, explores the importance of access 

to justice with a focus on the ability of citizens to challenge public decisions.  The 

author addresses barriers to achieving this which includes, but does not end with, the 

mailto:sarah.morse@northumbria.ac.uk


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availability of legal aid and emphasises the importance of legal capability, and the role 

that Public Legal Education can play in achieving this, as a means of increasing this 

access. We are provided with valuable insight into the limitations of Government 

progress or support in promoting or prescribing PLE and the shortcomings of 

initiatives to date, whilst also recognising potential means by which more can be done 

and a call for increased PLE provision. 

We then move to Sean Molloy’s article which explores the history of training and 

education of police recruits and the drivers towards change.  The author draws upon 

his own experience of teaching police recruits addressing the challenges of doing so 

and proposing an alternative human rights-based approach to achieving technical 

legal knowledge whilst also developing critical thinking skills- both of which are 

considered fundamental to the role. There is a fascinating discussion here about 

approaches to education which will resonate, and merit further thought for many 

readers.  

We then turn to a practice report by Jane Secker, Chris Morrison and Frances Ridout, 

which highlights the value of using open educational resources within our Street Law 

programmes.  This is illustrated by a case study which reflects upon and evaluates the 

experiences of students involved in a Street Law project in which they adapted and 

developed such a resource, Copyright the Card Game. The authors explore the skills 

and abilities which can be gained by this and the challenges in asking students to 

engage in this way as well as the value of expanding Street Law into a range of perhaps 



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less commonly covered areas- in this case the topic of copyright. As the article notes, 

the Street Law community welcomes the sharing of information and resources and 

this article seeks to consider the possibilities for doing so by also utilising open 

educational practices.  

We close this issue with a review of the UK and Ireland Street Law conference which 

took place in April 2022.  This review, told from a student perspective, provides a 

valuable summary of Street Law activities across this jurisdiction and beyond and 

includes important considerations and practices for this work. 

On the topic of conferences, many of our readers will have attended the European 

Network for Clinical Legal Education conference in Brescia in July 2022 or be planning 

to attend the GAJE/IJCLE/SAULCA worldwide conference in December. 

Undoubtedly the themes of these conferences are relevant to our work in the field of 

PLE.  I would encourage you to consider whether your delivered or planned 

presentations could be translated into papers for inclusion in our next issue of the 

journal.  We would welcome contributions including regarding best practice, 

pedagogy underpinning PLE and evidence of the need and impact of this work in 

your jurisdiction. Further details regarding the focus and scope of the journal can be 

found at https://www.northumbriajournals.co.uk/index.php/ijple/about.  

https://www.northumbriajournals.co.uk/index.php/ijple/about