Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced that Andy Hall will succeed Andrew Blain as managing partner from May 2026. Following his traineeship with the firm between 1993 and 1995, Mr Hall specialised in real estate development where he built a strong and varied practice, joining the partnership in 2003
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Appointments
See all articlesNew members have been appointed to the Scottish Legal Aid Board. David Fisken and Amy Hunter have been appointed as legal members to the board, while Alexandra Walker has been appointed as a member with court experience.
Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced that Andy Hall will succeed Andrew Blain as managing partner from May 2026. Following his traineeship with the firm between 1993 and 1995, Mr Hall specialised in real estate development where he built a strong and varied practice, joining the partnership in 2003
MFMac has announced the promotion of four legal directors to partner. The promotions follow the appointment of Claire Macpherson (private client) and Shaz Khalid (corporate) as partners at the start of the year and represent the first internal partner promotions since the 2023 merger between MacRobe
Shoosmiths has announced a total of eight promotions across its corporate, employment and litigation teams in Scotland, effective from 1 April. Kimberley Goh, who joined Shoosmiths as a legal director in 2022 has been promoted to corporate partner. She has been rewarded for her consistently impressi
Neil Crockatt has joined Balfour and Manson's property team as a partner in Edinburgh. Mr Crockatt brings a wealth of conveyancing experience, having worked in the industry for over 30 years. He joins from Coulters, where he was partner and head of legal.
Harper Macleod has announced the appointment of partner Carole McAlpine‑Scott to its private client team. Ms McAlpine‑Scott brings more than 30 years of expertise across the full spectrum of private client work, with strengths in succession, inheritance and estate planning, trusts, asset protect
Universities
See all articlesThe number of law students suspected of using AI to cheat has risen at several Scottish universities, an investigation by Scottish Legal News has found – with one expert warning that the figures are likely underreported. SLN made freedom of information requests of all Scottish universities tha
The University of Aberdeen Mooting Society will host the finals of the Main Faculty Moot on 19 March. This year’s competition will be judged by Michael D Anderson KC, a graduate of the university and an experienced criminal advocate who was called to the bar in 2006 and took silk in 2022. 
Scottish academics have contributed to a new collection celebrating women in legal history, launched at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Published by Bloomsbury, Celebrating Women in Legal History: Making and Shaping a Discipline champions the work of women in legal history and their contributions
A dispute between the University of St Andrews and its rector, Stella Maris, has been brought to a conclusion by Lord Keen of Elie KC. Ms Maris will resume her position on the University Court of the University of St Andrews after agreeing to provide an undertaking that she is "bound by collective r
The Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law (AUCEL) held a seminar on contemporary developments in International Energy Law last month.
Legal Aid
See all articlesSolicitors who provide legal aid will receive a 13 per cent increase in fees from September this year. The fees hike is part of a wider package of support including also funding for up to 40 legal aid traineeship places and digital support to help firms purchase devices to assist trainees in their w
The Law Society of Scotland is seeking urgent clarification from the Scottish government on why legal aid has again been ignored in the final budget before this year’s Holyrood election. Finance Secretary Shona Robinson announced the 2026-27 budget in the Scottish Parliament on 13 January 2026
The Scottish government is pausing it’s proposed changes to legal aid for adults with legal incapacity (AWI) cases, following an intervention by Govan Law Centre. Last month, GLC wrote to the Holyrood's Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee to recommend rejection of a draft Scottish statut
The Law Society of Scotland has warned that proposed changes to legal aid fees for cases related to adults with incapacity (AWI) would further exacerbate the shortage of solicitors for such work. The warning is contained in a submission by the Law Society on potential changes to legal aid regulation
Laura Simpson and Christine McKellar of Govan Law Centre raise the alarm over proposed changes to legal aid for adults with incapacity in Scotland. It is no secret that Scotland’s legal aid system is in urgent need of reform. With the increase in legal aid deserts caused by an ever-diminishing
And Finally
See all articlesA man alleged to have a bong built into his car to allow him to smoke cannabis while driving has been arrested for the 98th time. The man, who has not been named, was one of two suspects apprehended by police in the US state of Washington in connection with organised retail theft.
A judge has shown little patience with a woman who joined an online court hearing while driving a car and then unsuccessfully tried to convince the judge she wasn't. Kimberly Carroll joined the Detroit court hearing via Zoom late and with her camera switched off, according to FOX 2.
The composer of the iconic opening song to Disney's The Lion King is suing a comedian for $27 million for prodding fun at its lyrics. Circle of Life begins with the Zulu-language lyrics: "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama."
A woman who slapped googly eyes on a divisive sculpture has been convicted of marking graffiti and ordered to pay compensation. Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, filmed herself making the humorous additions to the Cast in Blue sculpture in the southern Australian city of Mount Gambier while high on MDMA and d
A hospital has launched legal proceedings to evict a patient who refuses to leave despite being discharged over five months ago. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) in Florida alleges the woman "continues to occupy" an inpatient bed despite being discharged on 6 October 2025 following acute medica









