Tributes have been paid to Derek Ogg QC, who has passed away at the age of 65. Tony Graham QC, director of Optimum Advocates, Mr Ogg's stable, looked back on his career, noting that he took silk after only 10 years in practice.
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The Bar of Ireland has pushed back against reports that it is considering proposals to expand the use of non-jury trials during the COVID-19 crisis. A report in The Irish Times, citing an anonymous barrister said to be involved in the process, said the Bar Council is currently "researching the idea"
Lawyers have expressed mixed views over the safety of the UK government's new coronavirus contact tracing app. Ross McKenzie, partner at Addleshaw Goddard who specialises in data protection compliance, said the public should have confidence in data protection laws and that they should not become a b
Alison Edmondson looks at the issue of credibility and reliability of witnesses over Zoom. As my recent blogging history reveals I’m currently vexed by the question of whether family cases requiring evidence from witnesses should go ahead remotely. If we don’t have evidentiary heari
Rachel Wood WS, an experienced Scottish solicitor will join the senior leadership team of the Law Society of Scotland next week as the new executive director of regulation. Ms Wood has over 25 years' experience in the legal sector and significant experience in risk and compliance, people leadership
Benjamin Bestgen looks at why you might breathe a sigh of relief knowing his lordship has had breakfast. See his last jurisprudential primer here. Legal television like My Cousin Vinny, Silk or The Good Wife is sometimes used to exemplify courtroom dos and don’ts – the first one having r
Lindsays has announced that David Rose has joined its commercial property team as a partner from Dentons. Mr Rose has decades of experience at the forefront of the commercial property market in Scotland.
Karyn McCluskey explains why the status quo on prison numbers cannot continue. The words you use matter. To give a random example, If I tell you to "stay alert" you might be a bit confused as to what you’re being asked to do. You might not necessarily assume I mean “stay at home as much
Douglas Mill looks at the handling of the current crisis and its likely outcomes for the profession. I'll save you googling it. It was Daniel Defoe in 1772 writing about London in 1665. And here's another quote for you: "The people did not flee the city. Some shut themselves inside their homes, thin
The remit of the independent public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh – who died in 2015 – has been announced. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said that the statutory public inquiry will examine the circumstances leading up to the death of Mr Bayoh, the post-incident managem
Philip Yelland, executive director of regulation at the Law Society of Scotland, has retired after 30 years at the professional body for Scottish solicitors. In the past three decades, he has seen major changes within the organisation and significant regulatory reform, including two new Scottish par
Against a backdrop of challenges for criminal law practitioners, Sophie Russell of MTM Defence Lawyers considers the skills set that young lawyers need to develop as firms adapt to the changing nature of criminal law. Many of you may recall the careers fair at university, where a number of larger le
The family of a woman who died in a helicopter crash off Shetland has expressed dismay that the fatal accident inquiry into the incident will be conducted by video conferencing technology, The Times reports. Alan Rodgers, a lawyer for the family, said at a video hearing that Sarah Darnley's relative
Trafficking victim Duc Nguyen, whose forced removal from the UK was prevented by a grassroots campaign in 2018, has gained refugee status.
As someone who was inspired to become a lawyer after watching Granada TV show Crown Court, Claire Mitchell QC has always loved the drama of advocacy. “Crown Court was my first experience of the legal process and of true crime – I know it wasn’t true, but I was watching it as if it