Making the case for virtual law cases: introducing an innovative way to teach law

Abstract

Concerns have been raised about how well legal education prepares law students for the reality of their future work life. Some research suggests that law students find it difficult to transfer and apply theoretical knowledge to decision-making in real-life contexts. This article presents a novel way, virtual law cases (VLCs), to teach and learn legal knowledge, analytical reasoning and decision-making skills in a safe environment without real-life repercussions. The paper sets out a number of steps when developing a virtual law case and illustrates the different elements that are included. The article also reports the results of the pilot testing with other colleagues, legal experts, as well as with law students in a Swedish legal education context. Early evidence suggests that colleagues and legal experts are confident that using VLCs is a valuable way to teach legal reasoning and decision-making, and that VLCs offer students a tool that allows them to see how legal fields are interconnected.