“Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is one of the oldest legal maxims, yet it’s often the first thing people say when they find themselves in trouble; the default response. We live under a system where the rules are binding, the penalties are real, but the knowledge is gatekept.

An online survey of 5,533 adults (aged 18 and older) conducted by Statista Research Service highlights concerns about awareness of privacy rights. Only 41% of respondents knew they had the right to limit how a company or organization uses their personal data. Fewer than 36% were aware they could request information on whether a company was using or storing their data. 

More concerning, according to the Law Society of England and Wales, only one in five (21%) believe justice is accessible. One in ten (13%) assumed it was too expensive, 8% did not know how to find an advisor, and 5% believed it was too difficult to navigate.

These statistics are disheartening and shed light on how restricted the field is for those peering in from outside. Legal frameworks are designed to serve the public, but for many they function like a locked room: intimidating, confusing, and closed off unless you already hold the keys.

With the rise of generative AI and rapid digital transformation, the need for legal literacy is pressing, now more than ever. Every day, people are signing binding online agreements, handing over personal data, and engaging with algorithms that shape decisions about housing, credit, and even employment. The law is no longer confined to historical casebooks—it is embedded in the apps on our phones and the contracts we click through without a second glance. Without the tools to understand these systems, individuals are left vulnerable to exploitation, misinformation, and unfair treatment.

So how do we close this gap?

The answer is not to drown students in statutes and Latin phrases, but to build legal literacy into everyday education. Not to force them into another subject, but to integrate it into existing curricula. Schools already run PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) sessions to teach financial literacy, sex education, and wellbeing. Legal literacy could, and should, fit naturally into this model.

Implementing workshops where teenagers roleplay negotiating a tenancy agreement (and understanding the key legislation as both tenant and landlord), learning their rights in a stop-and-search scenario, or spotting unfair terms in a mock employment contract are all doable and incredibly practical. These exercises would make the law tangible and within reach. Hence, less intimidating and abstract. They wouldn’t just prepare future lawyers; they would prepare future tenants, employees, consumers, and citizens who contribute to the world in a conscious manner. It would also mean every young person leaves school with the same basic legal toolkit, regardless of their background. 

Legal literacy should not be a privilege passed down through professional families—it should be a universal right. Justice begins not in the courtroom, but in the classroom. And while this piece isn’t about the legal profession itself, it’s worth noting that even law students face steep hurdles: training contracts, pupillage bottlenecks, and the quiet weight of connections often decide who gets through. If access is already strained for those inside the field, imagine how daunting it is for the wider public with no legal grounding at all.

That’s why embedding legal basics in schools matters. It levels the starting line. It ensures that understanding your rights isn’t something reserved for those with insider access, but something everyone carries with them into adult life. If ignorance of the law is no excuse, then access to the law must be no exception.

📩 Don’t miss the next article, event, or opportunity — sign up to Equal Opportunity and get everything straight to your inbox.

Article written by Snigdha Nair, LLB Student at KCL.