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Pupils tackle legal challenges at Blackhall

The Law Society played host to the ‘School Tasking’ All-Ireland regional final on Wednesday 26 March.

School Tasking is an innovative outreach project designed to introduce primary-school students to various aspects of the law through engaging, interactive challenges, modelled after the popular Taskmaster television show.

The School Tasking project has been embraced by over 30 universities across Britain and Ireland, with the Law Society taking the lead in piloting the initiative in Ireland.

Under the guidance of Law Society PPC course managers Ruth Tracey and John Lunney, the programme was first introduced in 2024.

In its inaugural year, Law Society trainees facilitated sessions in five local primary schools, offering students a hands-on learning experience.

Building on this initial success, the programme expanded significantly this year, with Trinity College Dublin joining the initiative and the Open University Belfast launching a parallel programme in Belfast.

Excelling

Nine enthusiastic teams earned their place in the regional final after excelling in school-based sessions conducted over the previous six weeks.

The competition brought together talented fourth-class students who took part in a series of dynamic legal challenges, each carefully crafted to introduce key legal concepts in an engaging way.

For the final, teams embarked on the task of creating a film based on the case of Dudley v Stephens, delved into the intriguing debate of whether chocolate bar shapes should be trademarked, and tackled a law-based number puzzle involving a snail in a bottle and freeing Little Alex Horne

After an exciting day of competition, The Law Busters from Stanhope Street Primary School emerged as the winning team.

The victorious team comprised:

• Leah Keane,
• Jeffrey Zhou,
• James Caffrey,
• Cole Carey,
• Afwaan Buraale, and
• Mason Hanley.

The pupils all demonstrated remarkable creativity, teamwork, and legal insight.

Their success was made possible through the guidance and mentorship of Law Society trainees Aine Hennessy and Dearbhla Mullins, who worked closely with them over the past six weeks to prepare for the final.

Champions

As the newly crowned regional champions, The Law Busters will go on to represent Ireland at the Champion of Champions Final, set to take place at Warwick University in June.

A total of seven primary schools participated in this year’s competition, each bringing an impressive level of enthusiasm and determination:

• Paradise Place Educate Together, Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 7,
• St Audoen’s National School, Cook Street, Merchants Quay, Dublin 8,
• Saint Paul’s Primary School, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7,
• Stanhope Street Primary School, Manor Street, Dublin 7,
• Loreto Senior Primary School, Crumlin Road, Dublin 12,
• City Quay National School,
• St Mary’s Primary School, Belfast.

The success of the event would not have been possible without the dedication of 14 Law Society trainees who played a crucial role in facilitating the programme.

These trainees dedicated four weeks to working directly with students in their schools to ignite their curiosity about the law.

Their efforts ensured that each team was well-prepared for the final event, contributing to a memorable and impactful experience for all participants. The participating trainees were:

• Lauren Humphries,
• Sharon Casey Gray,
• Avril Holton,
• Rachel Barclay,
• Rebecca Barnes,
• Vivienne O’Keeffe,
• Rachel O’Rourke,
• Shannon Madden,
• Conor Monaghan,
• Katelyn Dunleavy Larkin,
• Luke Mountaine,
• Aine Hennessy,
• Simon Layde,
• Dearbhla Mullins.

The School Tasking initiative continues to grow, bringing an exciting and educational experience to more students each year.

By blending legal education with creativity and competition, the program not only enhances students' understanding of the law but also encourages critical thinking, teamwork, and confidence.

With the upcoming Champion of Champions final in Warwick University, Ireland’s representatives, The Law Busters, are set to showcase their legal knowledge and problem-solving skills on an international stage.