Student journalists appear in the highest court in the land

Journalism students saw the law in action when they visited the highest court in the land.

Final year undergraduates from the University of Northampton took a tour of the Supreme Court, in London’s Parliament Square, on Wednesday December 13.

The group explored the room which hosted preliminary Brexit discussions, learnt about the different roles of people who work in the building, before sitting in on a case which was presided over by the court’s first female president, Lady Hale.

Afterwards, the students toured the historic Royal Courts of Justice, the location for some of the biggest appeal, libel and high-profile divorce cases.

Final year undergraduate, Dayna Richman, said: “Understanding law is a crucial element of a journalist’s role, and the visit to the courts really brought the subject to life.”

Journalism Programme leader, Hilary Scott, who supervised the trip, said: “Learning media law is a crucial part of journalism training, but even I admit it can be a bit dry in a classroom setting. By taking our undergraduates to court each year and utilising our contacts at the Supreme Court, students can literally see law in action, and it was a real treat to see Lady Hale and some of the top justices in action.”

Journalism students at Northampton also get the chance to visit Parliament, ITV studios, theatre shows and sporting events as part of their course.