Views are being sought on a bill that would introduce the crime of ecocide into Scotland. The Ecocide (Scotland) Bill was introduced by Monica Lennon MSP on 29 May. Ms Lennon believes that creating a distinct criminal offence and increasing the penalties for perpetrators would reduce the likelihood
Appointments
See all articlesFaculty welcomed 27 new members at calling ceremonies held last week.
Raeburn Christie Clark and Wallace has announced the appointment of Hannah Cruickshank as the newest member of its residential conveyancing team. She joins the firm as an associate and brings with her a wealth of experience to the firm.
Westwater Advocates has welcomed Edwin Sheeran to the stable. Mr Sheeran, who called to the bar on Friday, is a criminal specialist having worked as a procurator fiscal depute before coming to the bar. He also has an interest in public law matters and is keen to accept instructions in judicial revie
Ampersand has welcomed Sarah McWhirter and Tony Convery to the stable. Stable director Isla Davie KC said: “We are delighted that Sarah and Tony are joining Ampersand. They are already highly regarded as lawyers, and this is the start of incredibly promising careers for both at the Bar. Not on
Katherine Tresca has been promoted to the partnership at Carey Olson in Jersey. Ms Tresca, who is one of six new partners, has a practice that covers a broad area of Jersey corporate law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions (both private and public, including via members' schemes of arrangement
Terra Firma Chambers has announced that Aimee Cole, Francesca Glendinning and Graeme Milloy will join the stable upon calling to the bar today. Prior to calling, Ms Cole was a solicitor in private practice for over 10 years and has extensive experience in asylum, immigration and deportation appeals.
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 viral video clip has captured the moment a man joined a remote court hearing while using the toilet. Footage of the man clearly sitting on a toilet seat and making full use of the facilities was broadcast to the public via the YouTube stream from Gujarat High Court in India.
More than £348 million worth of illegal drugs went up in thick smoke in major cities across Myanmar as part of a day of action against drug abuse. Heroin, opium, speed, crystal meth, kratom, cannabis and ketamine were among the drugs put to the pyre as part of a ceremony that has raised eyebro
Buskers in the heart of Quebec City must now sing in French under new rules. Since May, two busy sites in Petit Champlain, the tourist hotspot of Quebec's capital city, have only allowed buskers to sing in French or play instrumental, CBC reports.
A hotel in China has been ordered to stop waking guests by placing red pandas in their rooms. The unique wake-up service offered by Chongqing-based Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel has become a hit with tourists and influencers.
Baffled police have freed a man who got stuck in a chimney while trying to rescue his dog from a locked toilet. The 35-year-old man was locked out of a park building in Connecticut on Saturday night when the doors automatically locked at 10pm.