Finally

There are many individuals and organisations who campaign for change, the petition pages on the Scottish Parliament website contains many examples of people and organisations seeking change, examples include the petition of Caroling Mockford which was discussed earlier. Other petitions range from making the wearing of cycle helmets compulsory, land registration, homelessness, literary standards in schools, control of wild goose numbers.

Changes in the law and legal system occur for many reasons: to reflect changes in society, to remedy injustice, to achieve justice, to build a fairer and more equal society, to compensate, punish and provide restitution. You may not agree with all the changes or the way in which they were achieved but understanding why change was sought and how it was achieved is important in helping formulate your own ideas, opinions and voice.

The legal system is dependent on individuals and organisations, through them ideas for change are proposed and debated, their passion for making a difference, whether for one individual or for society as a whole, helps the legal system to develop, keeps it relevant to society and ensures it used to hold both State and government to account. We all play a role in this, whether large or small, when we vote in elections. Who our legal heroes are however will be influenced by our own experiences and interests. The course authors hope that this brief exploration of just a small number of examples has been of interest and that it has inspired you to think about who your legal hero would be.