For lawyers, paralegals,
and legal professionals.
Here are just some of the legal-themed board games you can play on your next law office game night.
Recently on the Appara blog, we published an article about legal video games. While all of the law-inspired video games we covered in that article offer compelling gameplay, we recognize that not everyone is a video game enthusiast. For some legal professionals, board games offer a more social way to unwind after work or on the weekend.
Surprisingly, there are a number of legal-themed board games that legal professionals will find compelling. Here are just some of the law-inspired board games we’ve come across that you may find to be a fun way to unwind after work.
Published in 2016 by Victory Point Games, High Treason: The Trial of Louis Riel is a two-player game where you play as a lawyer in July 1885. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Canadian westward expansion, this game follows the trial of Louis Riel in Ottawa for high treason. A Métis leader, Riel led two resistance movements against the Government of Canada – first, the Red River Rebellion in 1869, which successfully forced the Canadian government to recognize Manitoba as a province, and second, the North-West Rebellion in 1885.
During the second rebellion, Riel’s forces were defeated at the Battle of Batoche. Riel was imprisoned in Regina, where the Canadian Government tried him for high treason. He was ultimately hanged on November 16, 1885 at the age of 41.
In this two-player card-driven game, players enter the courtroom during Riel’s five-day trial in July 1885. One player takes the role of the prosecution, while the other player takes the role of the defence. Both players are trying to influence Riel’s fate during the trial, from jury selection, to questioning witnesses, to making closing arguments.
High Treason: The Trial of Louis Riel is available from Tycoon Games.
One of the older games on this list, Verdict offers players the opportunity to try a variety of cases from the Verdict Case Book. Designed for two or more players, Verdict revolves around 15 separate criminal cases, each one being a full game in and of itself. One player plays as the prosecutor, while the other player takes on the role of the defence lawyer. The prosecutor selects a case, offers physical facts, and examines witnesses, all while moving a pawn across a board. If the prosecutor’s pawn lands on the “cross examination” space, the defence has an opportunity to cross examine.
Next, the prosecutor continues their examination of the witness, followed by the defence counsel examining one of their witnesses. If the prosecutor objects during the defence’s examination, the defence’s Solution Wheel comes into play. If the defence lands on a “cross examination” space, then the prosecutor has the option to cross examine. The prosecutor and defence alternate examining witnesses until one of them has three pawns in the jury box. At that point, a surprise witness is revealed. The first lawyer to get 4 pawns into the jury box wins.
Verdict is available from Noble Knight Games.
Originally released in 1979, Point of Law is a strategy board game from Avalon Hill designed for 2 to 12 players aged 10 and up. Containing over 100 courtroom dramas in a bookshelf-style case, this family-friendly game runs for 60 minutes. Players take on the roles of judge and jury in a criminal trial, tasked with deciding which argument is most convincing: The prosecution or the defence. Then, the actual result of the case is revealed. Players receive points based on how closely their decision matched the actual case outcome; players who reached the actual verdict gain the most points, while those who selected a legally invalid outcome get a poor result. The game runs for 10 cases, and at the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.
This game is available in used condition from Noble Knight Games.
Imagine that Trivial Pursuit had a baby that went to law school – that’s Disorderly Conduct. This trivia game, released in 2003, is designed for law students looking to sharpen their knowledge. Players or teams of players answer a variety of questions relating to criminal law, constitutional law, torts, contracts, property, evidence, and general practice. The questions in the game are rather detailed, requiring far more than just a passing knowledge of the law.
In order to win the game, players must answer questions in each of the six law categories before answering a final question in general practice. Each question has four multiple-choice answers to choose from.
This game is available in used condition through Noble Knight Games, on eBay, and via Geekmarket.
Published in 2005, Lawsuit! is an educational board game for adults and children aged 6 and up. Players first make their way through law school, learning the law as they go. Next, players must pass the bar exam and open up their own practices. Finally, players must practice law in the courtroom. This board game features 62 spaces where players conduct certain activities like hiring a legal secretary, paying office rent, going to trial, or prepping for court. Depending on the space one lands on, one will choose a card that describes a case scenario.
Once a player chooses a card, they can decide whether to accept the outcome or appeal it. A successful appeal will result in doubling or even tripling one’s award; a failed appeal will result in losing the award. Players can also choose to settle a case by drawing a Settlement card (instead of advancing a space). If players are feeling particularly bold, they can buy into a partnership, which doubles all awards and costs.
Lawsuit! is available through Noble Knight Games.
Did you know that chewing gum is banned in Singapore? Or that feeding pigeons in Venice is a ticketable offence? Or that in Port Calder, it’s illegal to hang wet laundry on public-facing balconies?
(Okay, we made up the wet laundry law. But the first two are real!)
In the board game Real Dumb Laws, based on the book 101 Real Dumb Laws, players must guess which laws are real based on a vague description.
At the start of each round, players are read the beginning of a law and are given four choices to complete that law, only one of which is correct. Players who correctly guess the real (dumb) law move ahead on the game board. If, on your turn, you answer incorrectly, any other player can take a risk and try to answer correctly for a chance to move ahead. The first player to reach the end of the game board wins.
Published in 2003, Real Dumb Laws is designed for 2-4 players aged 10 years old and up. The game takes 20-40 minutes to play. Real Dumb Laws is available through Noble Knight Games.
The world of legal-inspired board games offers fun and education for legal professionals and laypeople alike. Whether it’s a mock trial, a trivia game about which laws are real, or a simulation of law school and legal practice, these board games are great ways to brush up on your legal knowledge and skills while still having fun.
Do you have a favourite legal board game?
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