An English copyright judge has ruled that the 2019 John Lewis Christmas advert featuring a dragon unable to control its fire did not infringe the copyright of a children’s book author who had self-published a book with a similar premise. Fay Evans, who authored a work titled Fred the Fire-Snee
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A prisoner who was imprisoned in 1996 for murdering a young man with a knife in Renfrew has successfully petitioned for a judicial review of a decision of the Parole Board for Scotland’s not to release him on licence. DD, the petitioner, was aged 16 when he was convicted in June 1996 and was s
The International Council for Commercial Arbitration is to return to Edinburgh to launch its Congress book in September, a year on from ICCA Edinburgh. The 21st edition of the ICCA Congress Series will be launched during the inaugural Edinburgh International Arbitration Festival, which will take pla
Who remembers the Roberton Report? Who could have guessed the pandemic reasons for it ending up in the long grass for so long? Covered well by SLN, the announcement has, after a couple of contributions proved that the solicitor branch of the profession at least is as comfortable with its apathy as e
Defence counsel Tony Lenehan KC writes that juryless trials are being driven by ideology rather than evidence. After reading the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill I was disappointed but not surprised. I am disappointed at the many politicians, lobbyists, academics and
Dhana McIver has been appointed by Balfour and Manson as its first disability officer. Ms McIver, who is profoundly deaf and wears hearing aids in both ears, is a trainee solicitor who has had a wide-ranging career in the law, having worked for six years as an executry paralegal and 11 years with th
The Dundee criminal defence agents met on Wednesday 3 May, and it was a unanimous decision that they will not be taking part in the Scottish government's planned juryless trials pilot scheme. After this meeting I noted numerous Bar Associations and Faculties doing the same thing. On Tuesday 9 May, w
A former judge of the Supreme Court has expressed concern about the compatibility of Scottish government proposals for juryless rape trials with the independence of the judiciary. Lord Hope of Craighead has said he is "very uneasy" with clause 40 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotlan
UK law firm Burges Salmon, which has an office in Edinburgh, has introduced parental leave coaching for parents returning to the workplace after parental or adoption leave. The firm is working in partnership with Bright Horizons to implement a range of new work and family policies to help retain sta
An MSP has called for the Scottish Parliament to instruct an independent KC-led inquiry into some of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s interventions and approach to regulation in general. In a recent speech to the Scottish Parliament, Stirling constituency representative Evelyn Tweed said she f
A man who had decree by default granted against him after he walked out of court during a diet of debate has lost a Sheriff Appeal Court challenge against the sheriff’s decision. Appellant Mohammed Aslam was the defender in an action raised in Glasgow Sheriff Court by the Royal Bank of Scotlan
The son of a Church of Scotland minister who first attended the General Assembly 45 years ago has been appointed its new procurator. Jonathan Brodie KC, of Arnot Manderson Advocates, said he is "deeply grateful" to be given the opportunity to take on the role which entails providing legal advic
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales has ruled that a position taken by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions that it is never possible to make advance payments of Universal Credit to claimants who do not possess a National Insurance number at the time of their initial application is flaw
The Law Society of Scotland’s Council has selected Glasgow solicitor Michael Samuel as just the 20th person to receive honorary membership. He is the first person bestowed with life membership of the Law Society since 2021, and just the 10th person since the millennium.
Sheila Webster is in chipper mood when we catch up on Teams. Though she recently broke her shoulder tripping over a desk in the office, she has just had her sling removed and, while she is still in some pain and reliant on her husband – Themis Advocates KC Andrew Webster – for lifts, she