Budding legal eagles from Monmouth School, Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls and Monmouth Comprehensive School came together recently to put their persuasive powers to the test in a day learning about the law organised by leading law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys inc Shawcross.

The prospective law students learnt about legal practice in a variety of areas such as employment and commercial law, family law, property and wills and probate and lawyers from the firm’s Wye Valley office in Ross-on-Wye gave them an insight into life in a full service commercial law firm with more than 400 staff in sessions coordinated by trainee solicitor Kate Higgins.

The highlight of the day was when pupils put their legal skills into practice by taking the role of advocates in a mock trial conducted in the grand and imposing surroundings of the Monmouth Shire Hall court room.

With both sides presenting thoughtful and cutting cross-examination and legal submissions, the case was finely balanced, but ultimately the defendants prevailed when judge-for-the-day, employment solicitor Guy Hollebon, delivered the court’s decision.

Commenting on the day, Guy said: “It was great to see the next generation of lawyers thinking on their feet and honing their already well-developed presenting and advocacy skills. They were a credit to their respective schools and the future of the legal profession looks very promising. As a member of the Monmouthshire Law Society, we are delighted to be working closely with the local schools.”

Monmouth School commented that “the feedback from the students was unanimously positive: we really appreciated the lengths the firm went to in preparing the materials and ensuring the day was meaningful, appropriate and relevant to the students.”

Harrison Clark Rickerbys has 400 staff and partners based at offices in the Wye Valley, Hereford, Cheltenham, Worcester, Birmingham and the Thames Valley, who provide a complete spectrum of legal services to both business and private clients, regionally and nationwide. The firm also has a number of highly successful teams specialising in individual market sectors, including health and social care, education, agricultural and rural affairs, defence, security and the forces, and construction.