Widening access to the legal profession in Scotland through Court Brief

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Each year, hundreds of students embark upon the Scots Law LLB with aspirations of becoming practising lawyers. They invest their hopes, time and money (it costs on average £11,000 for the diploma alone) in pursuit of a career in law. And yet, for many, their ambitions are formed with limited understanding – and often no direct experience – of what legal practice truly entails. Despite this, nearly 800 students a year enrol in the diploma. How do we as a profession ensure they know what to expect and how do we encourage them to continue in their endeavours? 

The team at Court Brief believe that it is our professional responsibility to provide meaningful insight into legal careers for all law students. Some might argue that they don’t have the time or the capacity to provide students with even a brief glimpse into what we do, but with the forthcoming launch of a new online platform that will enable everyone to do so with ease, we are hopeful that you too will step up to provide this opportunity.

For several years, one West Lothian firm has sought to address this gap by offering undergraduate students the opportunity to shadow criminal practitioners in the courts at Livingston. Each summer, it has accommodated between 60 and 100 students for a one-day placement. Many firms do provide shadowing and internships, but most do not.

The structure of the shadowing experience itself is straightforward yet impactful. Students meet practitioners at court and are provided with anonymised case materials, offering context on the matters to be heard. They agree, as a condition of participation, to maintain strict confidentiality, with client consent obtained in advance. Students are invited to consider themselves in the role of the presiding sheriff, tasked with determining appropriate outcomes and reasoning. Following this, they observe proceedings in court, often including remand hearings. Where possible, informal discussions with members of the judiciary follow, alongside a reflective debrief on the cases observed. The session typically concludes by midday, with students encouraged to attend public court proceedings independently in the future. 

Our team has enjoyed seeing our work from their perspective – indeed, it has reminded us at times why we do what we do – and feedback from participants has been consistently positive, with many citing the experience as invaluable in shaping their career perspectives.

Here are some of the students’ responses:

“I am so grateful to the lawyer for allowing me to shadow. I got such a great insight into how the court operates, the types of cases a criminal defence lawyer works on and the different outcomes and issues.”

“I wish the scheme was longer to see the full picture of the life and work of a criminal defence lawyer.”

“I really enjoyed my time, I think I got a great insight and learned a lot from the scheme – it has definitely reignited my passion for law that I lost over exam season.”

“Getting to learn first-hand from the lawyer was very insightful. The experience further motivated me to pursue a career within the legal profession. Getting to see the ins and outs of a court is intriguing and something you rarely experience so this was very valuable.”

Tackling the DEI challenges

However, while the initiative has been well received, it has not been without challenges. High demand has led to administrative burdens, including managing hundreds of emails, and, at times, the educational value has been diluted when too many students attend simultaneously. However, that same level of demand also demonstrated that there is a real desire for people to have this opportunity. Why might that be?

In 2024, Naeema Sajid, founder of Diversity+, conducted a survey of 100 students who had participated in our programme. This research was prompted by a concern that access to shadowing opportunities appeared unevenly distributed. The survey results indicated that students from ethnic minority backgrounds, women and those from lower socioeconomic circumstances were disproportionately overrepresented among those seeking such opportunities as they had struggled to find placements elsewhere, suggesting that barriers to access remain significant. A lack of professional networks and being the first in a family to attend higher education were frequently cited as obstacles.

These findings underscore a broader issue of fairness and accessibility within the profession. And yet they also highlight a practical opportunity: relatively small contributions from individual practitioners, such as offering just one morning of shadowing, can have a transformative impact on aspiring lawyers and their commitment to their studies and careers.

The Court Brief shadowing platform

How, then, might our simple model be replicated in a sustainable way so that other professionals feel enabled to share their perspective with others? This challenge was discussed with Ally Thomson of Hey Legal, whose response was characteristically solution focused. Recognising the administrative barriers that often deter participation, he developed an innovative digital platform, ‘Court Brief’. This automation streamlines the process of organising court shadowing opportunities, connecting professionals with students and removing the administrative burden from both practitioners and students.

Court Brief is now being launched. Initially, the platform will be piloted within Scottish courts, with participation from a number of firms across different jurisdictions. This phased approach is intended to ensure the system operates effectively prior to wider rollout. By simplifying access and coordination, Court Brief has the potential to democratise shadowing opportunities and make them more widely available.

If you are a practitioner who regularly attends court, we encourage you to consider participating in this initiative. Offering even a half-day shadowing experience requires minimal time commitment, but it can provide students with critical insight into the realities of legal practice. Importantly, participation is free and can be completed quickly and easily via the Court Brief platform.

Sign up here: Lawyer Sign Up – Keep me Informed about Court Brief

Or email iain@keegansmith.org to find out more.

The legal profession in Scotland has long prided itself on its integrity and public service ethos. Expanding access to meaningful, practical experience for aspiring lawyers is a natural extension of these values. By taking small, collective steps, practitioners can help ensure that the next generation of lawyers enters the profession informed, prepared and representative of the society it serves.

Ally, Naeema and Iain Court Brief team