Search: Peter Watson

This week is Adoption Week 2022 in Scotland. It is an annual event, which celebrates adoption, and is funded by the Scottish government. The theme of this year's event is "adoption: the connection with past, present and future families." Adoption allows individuals a unique pathway to parenthood, an

Aligning legislation, introducing a two-tier system of application costs and greater mental health support form the substance of a report by MPs on firearms licensing. The Scottish Affairs committee has today set out a number of areas that can potentially save costs, streamline rules and mitigate me

In her piece on media coverage of the Scottish government’s proposed gender-recognition reform  (1 February 2023), Gwyneth King criticises those who have pointed out that women’s organisations which signed a statement in support of the Scottish government’s policy are recipien

Land leaders have joined forces to complete a development programme to ensure Scotland’s land is managed responsibly.

Law courses at UK universities have seen a record number of female applicants in the latest annual data, a freedom of information request has revealed. Over the last three years, female applications to all law courses in the UK have risen by 13 per cent. Last year, female applications reached triple

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is collaborating with law enforcement and third sector partners including Action for Children to develop a pilot scheme to protect children and young people from being exploited by Serious Organised Crime Groups (SOCGs). The initiative is being

Advocate Michael Upton looks at an early bank crash and its reverberations in Scots law.   Readers accustomed to making their way from Queen Street Station to Glasgow Sheriff Court have probably walked along Glassford Street. With bank crashes back in season, you may care next time to glan

A unique luxury property which overlooks the Old Course and iconic Swilcan Bridge at St Andrews Links, and has a remarkable golfing pedigree, is being offered for sale by Thorntons Solicitors, priced at offers over £1.95m.

English law firm Osborne Clarke has stipulated that to be eligible for a bonus its lawyers must spend a minimum of three days a week at their office desks. The firm's mandate challenges expectations of a remote working future in the post-pandemic world.

Professor Joseph Bristow’s impressive new study, which deserves close attention, shows that the civil libel suit and the criminal trials involving Oscar Wilde were understood to be within the legal procedures of the time. The significantly wider importance of his book may be that the detailed

Nominations are now open to join the Law Society of Scotland’s decision-making body to represent solicitors across the UK. Joining the Law Society’s Council allows you to influence vital decisions, contribute to key pieces of work and represent and support local solicitors.

Former lord president and Supreme Court justice Lord Hope of Craighead has called for Scotland's new hate crime legislation to be withdrawn, describing it as the result of “gesture politics”. The former judge said the legislation's aims could have been achieved by simply amending Scotlan

The former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Lord Anderson has called for tighter rules on political lobbying. In a new interview with the lord speaker, Lord Anderson of Ipswich called for a new offence to be created to tackle corruption in public life.

Victims of historic miscarriages of justice cannot claim back "bed and board" costs deducted from their compensation for the time they spent in prison. Last year, the Conservatives scrapped the policy of making such deductions in the wake of the high-profile Andrew Malkinson case.

A national campaign to help young people to safely navigate social media and prevent violence has been launched. ‘Quit Fighting For Likes’ aims to get young people to think about and discuss attitudes and behaviours around the filming and sharing of violent incidents.