The Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary has rejected an appeal brought to it by reference of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, reasoning that post-conviction developments in the appellant’s mental state did not mean that his sentence had proceeded on the basis of an inacc
Appointments
See all articlesStuart Millar has joined Macleans in Edinburgh, re-uniting with Lindsay Maclean, with whom he worked for 10 years at Gibson Kerr. Mr Millar's appointment to the firm as legal director coincides with Macleans' two-year anniversary.
Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace has promoted four members of its team to senior associate: Andrew Bruce, Ruth Lussier, Kirsty Dunning and Aaron Doran. Together, they bring decades of experience, with each promotion recognising not only their legal expertise but also the trusted relationships th
Ann McKechin has been appointed as chair of the Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel, tasked with leading the panel’s work to champion consumer interests within legal services regulation and to make recommendations for improvement. A former MP and minister, she has experience of working with
Watermans has appointed Colin Higgins as its first chief operating officer. Mr Higgins, who this year celebrated two decades of employment in the business, most recently held the role of head of finance at the firm. The internal promotion will see him take charge of day-to-day operations, finance an
Anderson Strathern has appointed trusts and private wealth disputes specialist Sarah-Jane Macdonald as a partner within its dispute resolution team. Ms Macdonald joins the firm as it expands its contentious trusts and estates practice in response to increasing demand for advice in Scotland, driven b
BTO has appointed Alan Gilfillan, an experienced corporate lawyer and accredited charity law specialist, as a partner in its corporate team. Mr Gilfillan brings more than 15 years’ experience in corporate and charity law and is one of only seven lawyers in Scotland accredited by the Law Societ
Universities
See all articlesThe inaugural Sir Alexander Stone Lecture lecture at the University of Glasgow will be delivered by Professor Irene-marie Esser on 8 October, with a response given by Lord Braid. Professor Esser was appointed to the Sir Alexander Stone chair in commercial law last year and will be hosting an annual
Professor Justin Borg-Barthet of the University of Aberdeen has been reappointed to the European Commission's Expert Group Against SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), recognising his continued leadership in efforts to protect freedom of expression and strengthen democratic parti
Kirsten Oswald, minister for victims and community safety, visited the University of Strathclyde Mediation Clinic to learn how mediation is helping people and businesses resolve disputes without the time and expense of court proceedings.
An Aberdeen climate law expert has taken part in key United Nations negotiations that will help shape discussions at this year’s global climate summit. Dr Mitchell Lennan, co-director of the Centre for Energy Law at the University of Aberdeen, attended the 64th sessions of the United Nations F
The University of Aberdeen conferred one of its highest academic honours yesterday, when Dr Graeme Brown was awarded the degree of doctor of laws (LLD) by research – a distinction granted only in exceptional circumstances and rarely awarded in the modern era. While the LLD is widely known as a
And Finally
See all articlesTwo US senators from Oregon have urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to ban prediction markets from accepting bets on destructive wildfires, warning they could encourage arson and allow investors to profit from natural disasters. The call follows reports that prediction platform Po
A Brazilian state legislature has found itself playing host to an unlikely group of visitors, with capybaras repeatedly wandering into voting sessions. The famously calm rodents entered the Mato Grosso state legislature building in Cuiabá last week, surprising lawmakers who were preparing for
Netflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit after an unencrypted copy of an unreleased World War II thriller was allegedly stolen from its Los Angeles offices. Writer-producer Simon Afram and his company claim the theft has jeopardised the sale of the film, Fortitude, directed by Simon West and starrin
A couple have been left facing legal costs of around £150,000 after losing an appeal in a 14-year dispute with their neighbours over a garden fence, an ornamental squirrel and offensive songs posted on YouTube. Philip and Denise New became embroiled in a long-running row with neighbours Steve
Japanese police have arrested a 61-year-old musician accused of keeping his elderly neighbours awake for more than seven years by playing loud guitar music day and night. Kyoto resident Kazunori Yokoi allegedly blasted dozens of guitars and his radio at high volume from 2019 onwards – despite









