Beyond Lawyers: Legal Literacy for the Future

Abstract

Modern life can be demanding for individuals, as they can require literacy in many areas beyond reading and writing. Legal literacy has been argued as an access to justice issue and required to ensure a healthy democracy. Also, being able to engage with the economy through a business can be an important avenue to access economic opportunities. However, the world of commerce is underpinned by legal requirements, and an understanding of these requirements may assist with compliance behaviour.

It is important to reflect upon the sources of legal literacy, especially in business circumstances, and consider the role of non-lawyer advisers in assisting with legal problems. Evidence suggests the role of non-lawyer intermediary advisers, such as accountants, appears to be an important facilitator in assisting individuals who are faced with legal problems. Consequently, it is important that the legal literacy of these non-lawyer intermediaries is adequate.

Note: This article was first published by Thomson Reuters in the Australian Business Law Review and should be cited as Brett Freudenberg, Beyond Lawyers: Legal Literacy for the Future, October 2017, Volume 45, No. 5, ABLR p. 387

Keywords: legal literacy, advisors, business, education, justice

JEL Classification: K34, K20, K22, I20