CHAPTER II Legal Design and Visual Law: The Roadmap

Abstract

This chapter focuses on illustrating the steps of Legal Design (LD) and Visual Law (VL). Before delving into the process of comic book co-creation, the chapter provides an overview of LD and VL, emphasizing their relative unfamiliarity, even among legal scholars. LD, originating from an initiative at Stanford Law School, aims to simplify legal language by evaluating and designing legal business in a simple, functional, attractive, and usable way. It centers on people’s needs, shifting focus from professionals to recipients, such as citizens, organizations, and communities. LD emphasizes ongoing interactions and feedback from recipients throughout the project, fostering empathy and active listening. While LD focuses on effective communication for the benefit of legal beneficiaries, VL serves as its visual manifestation. VL utilizes various visual elements, such as images, illustrations, videos, infographics, comics, and more, making legal documents more explanatory. LD and VL, initially tools for law firms to aid law firm clients understanding, have evolved for broader applications in legal education, research dissemination, empowering society to advocate for their rights, and supporting the decolonization of legal mindsets. The chapter discusses the interchangeable use of LD and VL in legal research, legal education, and as strategic tools for societal empowerment. Importantly, it highlights their potential role in decolonizing legal mindsets by involving participants outside the dominant Western legal doctrine and supporting knowledge co-creation. The chapter underscores the importance of LD and VL in contributing to the re-emergence of Indigenous perspectives and cosmovisions, ultimately facilitating effective participation in environmental matters.