“My path to the legal profession started back in Grade 11 law class. Before that, the justice system was just something I saw on TV or read about. But everything changed when our class took a field trip to the Surrey courthouse to watch real trials”, said Judge Tina-Marie Bradford.

Since the early 1990’s BC’s Justice Education Society (JES) has been organizing visits to local courthouses for elementary and high school classes. In Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria JES staff welcome classes and make an introductory presentation, followed by visits to courtrooms, Q and A sessions with judges, and wrap-up meetings. In other parts of BC, JES connects teachers with someone at the local courthouse who can arrange a visit.

In 2025/26 JES arranged visits for 295 classes. Through this and other programs, they dealt with more than 10,000 students last year. 

Book a court visit (Justice Education Society)

Judges recall their visits to court

Several BC Provincial Court judges say visiting court as a student affected their career decisions and had a lasting impact.

Judge Tina-Marie Bradford decided to become a lawyer during a court visit.

“Sitting in the public gallery, the whole thing came alive. I watched the judges manage the courtroom, the lawyers make their arguments, and regular people dealing with really tough moments. Seeing how the law actually worked to solve real-world problems didn't just fascinate me, it made me realize right then and there that I wanted to be a trial lawyer.

Looking back, it’s amazing to trace a line from that high school field trip to where I am today. Of course, my years practising as a lawyer gave me the skills I needed for judging, but that early visit to the courthouse left a lasting impression. It taught me how important it is for courtrooms to be open to the public and for the process to make sense to everyday people. Whenever I look out at the gallery and see a group of students watching, I’m reminded of my responsibility. It’s a nice full-circle moment that keeps me grounded, remembering that I was once sitting exactly where they are.”

                                                                                                                                                                      Judge Tina-Marie Bradford

Judge Nicholas Preovolos also visited a courthouse with his Law 12 class. His visit was memorable - he still recalls the facts of a case involving someone waving a chainsaw in a bar while the chainsaw was running. At the time, he was a successful high school debater. Seeing an underwhelming cross-examination and thinking he could do better encouraged him to consider a legal career. “But interestingly, the thought of being a judge didn’t cross my mind until I was more than a decade into my career. It was not on my radar before that”, he recalled.

Judicial Justice Brian Burgess recalls his Law 11 course influencing his decision to attend law school. Although he didn’t visit a courtroom until his second year at law school, he too was struck by what he saw. He recalls visiting one courtroom where the judge seemed abrupt and rude and another where the judge was pleasant and welcoming. He said, “The contrast was stark. While I never had any aspirations for the bench as a student, I resolved that morning that should I ever be in such a position of power I would emulate the second judge and do my best not to behave like the first one.”

It was a visit to the Supreme Court of Canada that helped Judge Alexander Wolf realize he could become a lawyer. He explained, “When I was 15 years old, I won a speech competition and went to a program at the Terry Fox Youth Center in Ottawa. We got to visit the Supreme Court and discuss different topics with judges and lawyers. It was really the first time I’d met with a judge or even a lawyer. I was inspired and realized that I too could be a lawyer.” He added, “Now I speak to several grade 12 law classes every year, either in court during breaks or at the school. My message is always the same, “If I can do it, you can too.”

Not just judges

Like Judge Wolf, retired lawyer Shelene Rail was influenced by hearing a lawyer talk about their work. After a lawyer visited her Grade 10 class, she felt she had found her calling. “Being “on stage” arguing and attempting to persuade appealed to me”, she said. “I was also fascinated with the psychology of why people behave the way they do. I immediately abandoned my plan to become a teacher. I was going to become a barrister, and I never wavered from that decision.”

Ten years later, she became a lawyer and began a 32-year career as Crown counsel. Understanding the impact it can have, she has spoken to school classes visiting court throughout her career. She continues to speak to Law 12 classes in her retirement. “The feedback I receive suggests that the students love my talk and are inspired by it - which is exactly what I’d hoped for!

The judicial officers recall court visits from decades ago, but the JES court visits program continues to influence students. Vivian Truong, now a second year law student at Thompson Rivers University and a JES volunteer, said, “For me, everything changed on a field trip to the courthouse.”

As a high school student, Vivian knew she wanted to help people. She’d considered a legal career but wasn’t drawn to the Judge Judy-style confrontation and courtroom drama she saw on TV. “But when I sat in on real proceedings, what struck me wasn't the drama; it was the relief on people's faces. What might look minor from the outside could mean everything to the person living it. I watched clients look at their lawyers with hope and gratitude, and I remember thinking: this is where I want to be.” 

“What stayed with me most were the judges and lawyers who paused to explain things to a room full of students. They spoke not just about the cases, but about the quiet weight of knowing they had made a real difference in someone's life. It was also the kindness of everyone at the courthouse: the clerks, registry staff, and sheriffs. Their enthusiasm for their work helped us understand its importance. Standing in that courthouse, I felt something click into place, a curiosity that kept unspooling.”

Vivian found a mentor at JES and with her encouragement found law-related summer jobs during university and was accepted at law school. Committed to giving back, she has volunteered with the Justice Education Society. She says, “I am endlessly grateful for that trip to the courthouse. I think of it often, and of everyone in that building who gave a group of students their time, their patience, and their honesty, without knowing what it might mean to any one of us.”