When the law and justice disagree, which side should win?

The Tonbridge School Law Society hosts events and activities for students interested in legal and political careers. Each year, the Society invites distinguished figures in the legal and political fields, such as barristers, judges and former MPs to share their experiences in the field of law.

The first of this year’s speakers was Dr Christopher Taggart from the University of Surrey, who gave a detailed talk about ethical dilemmas in US Supreme Court legal decisions.

Dr Taggart is a Harvard-and Yale-trained legal philosopher and criminal law scholar who teaches at Harvard University, the University of Surrey, and the University of Navarra in Spain. His work explores the deep moral questions that shape how and why we punish, judge, and govern.

Jaden (CH5), said, “He has inspired me to continue investigating how precedent can be overruled. I’ve been led to question the British Common Law system. I’ve also been inspired by Kennedy to stand up for what is right, potentially liberating millions of people.”

“I hope students gained a sense of what real legal university-level legal discussions are like. I’ve already received feedback that the event inspired other students’ interest in the law, which is great to hear!”

The talk ended with a Q&A to encourage students’ critical thinking and discussion on legal and political topics, aiming to boost their commercial awareness and analytical skills.