Features

Irish legal academic Professor Laurent Pech considers the future of the rule of law in the EU. The history of the rule of law in EU law has been one of gradual process of formal Treaty enshrinement followed by the swift development of the EU’s “rule of law toolbox” in response to u

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

I try to avoid criticism of political figures on social media – but like most people I can be provoked beyond endurance. Last week First Minister Humza Yousaf attended an event at the University of Strathclyde at which the consultation on a Scottish Human Rights Bill was discussed. I am very h

Douglas Thomson reviews a new book by Ian O'Donnell, professor of criminology at University College Dublin, examining four very different prison regimes. In this book, Professor Ian O'Donnell visits and investigates four very different prison environments, all considerably unlike those within the ma

Plug and Play. It’s a catchy little phrase when it comes to running a law firm, but Brian Inkster isn’t overly concerned with preserving tradition and the approach he has developed over the past 25 years has seen Inksters Solicitors grow from a practice primarily specialising in crofting

Should we be seeking to remove a significant number of disputes from the courts altogether, asks John Sturrock. Recently in these pages, I mentioned a talk I’d given to a Worldwide Advocacy Conference in July 1998. Then, I’d identified two related developments with implications for civil

Robert Shiels welcomes an important new study on the Glasgow Sugar Aristocracy, the Clydeside merchants who made fortunes from Caribbean misery. The nature and extent of the economic impact of Caribbean slavery in British society is a highly topical and political issue. There is no doubt that many m

Fragomen solicitor Kelly Hardman explains the roll-out of a new scheme which helps to digitalise the UK’s border is already under way – and energy sector companies which deploy workers from overseas need to pay heed to its implications. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) initiativ

Scotland should recall recent history before approving a law that would make dictators blush, writes Andrew Stevenson. Last month the Scottish Law Agents’ Society gave evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament. We opposed the proposal to al

Former sheriff Douglas J Cusine is impressed by Gillian Mawdsley's new study of sudden deaths and FAIs in Scotland. For me, there are two very significant sentences in this impressive book: “The public should be able to understand the role of an FAI…” (para. 2.01) and “It is

Northern Ireland barrister James Stitt examines a Scottish case with significance for clinical negligence practitioners. Once more, a Scottish case has provided an opportunity for a substantial development of the law in the field of clinical negligence.

Do not read on; it is all rubbish. A suggestion, which has had some press coverage recently, is that we may in future be subject to criminal sanctions if our bins contain material of the wrong kind. The “thinking” behind this is to encourage recycling. No sensible person would be opposed

Businesses operating in the UK energy sector should consider how they can use their gender pay gap (GPG) data as a catalyst for change in their organisation, writes Susannah Donaldson. Analysis by Pinsent Masons has found that many businesses in the sector are already taking positive action to

In the wake of the dropping of proposed legislation in Scotland to pardon those unfortunate women convicted of witchcraft, Robert Shiels reviews the latest book to consider witchcraft trials of the past – and present. There was before the Scottish Parliament from June 2022 a proposal for legis

In recent days Colombian pop star Shakira has settled a long running dispute with the Spanish authorities on her tax residence between 2012 and 2014. The singer has paid over 7.5 million euros to bring the case to an end, writes Kevin Winters. The Spanish authorities reportedly argued that Shak