BUDDING young legal eagles got a taste of life in the courtroom at a special event designed to encourage them in potential future careers.

Pupils from schools across Hampshire took on the roles of claimants, defendants, jurors, interpreters and journalists for a mock trial based on a fictitious fatal cruise disaster, held at Blake Lapthorn’s offices in Eastleigh and organised through Solent Education Business Partnership (EBP).

Teenagers received mentoring in the legal roles from the firm’s solicitors, while the reporters received tips from Daily Echo education reporter Jon Reeve, and those playing the jurors heard from Rear Admiral John Lang about maritime investigations and magistrates on the court system.