UK government plans to ban Palestine Action under terrorism legislation are "excessive and disproportionate" and arguably unlawful, human rights organisations have warned. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday confirmed in a written statement to MPs that she intends to proscribe the protest group u
Appointments
See all articlesWright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) has bolstered its ranks with the appointment of 10 new staff members. Eight of the new starts are fee-earning legal staff, working across WJM’s offices.
Burness Paull has appointed Noel Jordan as its first chief operating officer, as the firm primes itself for its next phase of growth. In the newly created role, Mr Jordan will have overall responsibility for the firm’s business services and legal operations functions.
CMS has announced 48 new promotions in Scotland including four lawyers who move to the senior role of of counsel. The promotions also include the elevation for 14 lawyers operating in non-fee earning roles within the firm’s three Scottish offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Themis has welcomed Alan Caskie KC back to the stable. He is a well-known and well-regarded advocate who is highly sought after for his innovative case strategies. He is also distinguished for his experience representing petitioners in complex immigration cases.
MML Law in Dundee has announced further appointments as the firm continues to grow. Jordan Nisbet joins MML after training in family law, guardianship and eviction matters with McLaughlin & Co Solicitors & Notaries. She will work with MML’s busy family law team advising on a wide
Holmes Mackillop has appointed four trainee solicitors. Sarah Makin joins the Glasgow office’s dispute resolution and litigation department, supporting on a wide range of matters, including employment law, family law, and commercial and debt recovery court actions. Graduating from Aberdeen Uni
Legal Aid
See all articlesThe number of solicitors registered to provide legal aid in Scotland has fallen by more than 12 per cent in just three years, according to new figures. As of 26 May, there were 1,122 solicitors registered to provide criminal and children’s legal aid, while 450 firms were registered for civil l
A survey of Scottish legal aid solicitors has revealed further evidence of a deepening crisis in access to justice, with 41 per cent of respondents either planning to stop legal aid work within two years or unsure whether they will continue. The findings come from a Law Society of Scotland survey of
Scotland’s criminal defence solicitors are to withdraw from a new flagship summary justice scheme in protest at the Scottish government’s failure to increase legal aid rates. The Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA) has confirmed that its members will no longer participate in imple
Solicitors employed on the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s emergency helpline have backed strike action over changes to shift patterns, The Scotsman reports. Sixteen solicitors working on the Solicitor Contact Line voted for industrial action following complaints that management had imposed 12-hour
Colin Lancaster, chief executive of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, details proposals delivered at Holyrood to improve the legal aid system. SLAB is one of a number of organisations to give evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice (EHRCJ) Committee at its inquiry into the current civ
Universities
See all articlesA law graduate from Glasgow Caledonian University has become the first recipient of an academic award in memory of the late Professor Alison Britton. Zoe Bolton received The Alison Britton Prize for Advanced Healthcare Law and Ethics after being chosen as the best final-year undergraduate medical la
One of the world’s foremost experts in forensic investigation will deliver a public lecture at the University of Dundee later this month exploring how science and technology are used in criminal investigations. Dr Sheila Willis, former director general of Forensic Science Ireland, will deliver
Public law faces a puzzle prompted by the rise in populism and political polarisation in recent times: on the one hand, the values of public law including the rule of law, fundamental rights protections, the separation of powers and democratic government generally celebrate and provide structures to
An Edinburgh Law School team has won multiple prizes at the 2025 Day of Crisis Competition in the Netherlands.
How willing would you be to hand over your mobile phone to the police if they asked to examine its contents? Why are many suspicious of facial recognition technology, yet happy to use this to unlock their digital devices? These are themes that University of Dundee and Open University experts are hel
And Finally
See all articlesA law enforcement official who declared he has "zero tolerance for street racing" has been filmed street racing. Video footage shared online appears to show Carmine Marceno, head of Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida, taking off in a Ferrari while his friend filming shouts: "Juice that motherfuc
French president Emmanuel Macron has called for house music to be recognised by Unesco as part of France's intangible cultural history. It appears to be a direct response to Berlin's techno scene being recognised as part of Germany's national intangible cultural heritage last year.
Two rival sausage makers are set for a courtroom battle amid allegations of corporate espionage. Hormel Foods alleges in a US lawsuit that Johnsonville conspired with two of Hormel's former employees to obtain sausage recipes and sensitive commercial information, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
A courtroom livestream has captured the excruciating moment when a lawyer accidentally addressed a woman judge as "honey". A short clip from the hearing in the Colorado Court of Appeals on Tuesday has circulated widely on Bluesky, where it has been seen thousands of times.
A museum has appealed for two tourists who broke a crystal-encrusted chair by sitting on it to come forward and apologise. CCTV footage shows the couple taking turns posing for photos with the artwork at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy before the man accidentally sits on and breaks it.