Features

When we think of prisoner of wars (POWs), we probably think of British prisoners with the images that recall the impenetrable fortress of Colditz and statements that “for you the war is over” in the Great Escape. Both dramatise events with their focus on British escape stories where the

These have been interesting times at Glasgow corporate law firm Macdonald Henderson. October 2024 alone saw the firm advise on 14 deals and last week it announced the acquisition of Ferguson Whyte Solicitors, gaining it a presence in the Glasgow’s West End as well as its Hope Street office in

Thomas Mitchell calls for a new independent body to investigate road traffic collisions. The tragedy of any death on the roads cannot be overstated. From the moment of the collision, the impact ripples through so many lives – agencies, organisations and then, of course, the families and loved

The first Budget under the Labour administration was feared by business and nowhere more so than in the farming community where the recent announcements will have a devastating effect, writes Sarah Dodds. As an accountant and business advisor, but more importantly a farmer’s wife with a young

New powers allowing police to seize cryptocurrency and other similar assets, which have been illegally obtained by criminals or are being used to hide or launder the proceeds of their activities, came into effect in Scotland yesterday, writes Sally Clark. The new seizure powers are a key aspect of t

If the interested reader thought that just about everything that could have been written about British intelligence agencies had been published, then this new history will probably be a revelation, writes Robert Shiels. From the founding of the Secret Service Bureau in 1909, women worked in every ar

Burges Salmon partner Magnus Miller considers the differences between pensions law in Scotland and in England. With the enactment of the Trust and Succession (Scotland) Act 2024 earlier this year, it is a good time to remind ourselves of the differences between Scots law and English law as they appl

Lindsays chief operating officer Ian Beattie pays tribute to the firm's lawyers playing a role in charities across Scotland. It’s been Trustees Week from 4-8 November, and across Scotland and the rest of the UK, the spotlight is shining on the priceless contribution made by charity trustees to

Along with Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain and Advocate General Catherine Smith, Solicitor General Ruth Charteris is blazing a trail for women at the very top of the Scottish legal profession, but, with no role model for her to look up to during her school days in Cumbernauld, she very nearly didn’

Cameron Wong McDermott, lecturer in social change and clinical legal education at Glasgow University, reflects on his experiences of pro bono work as we celebrate National Pro Bono Week. Let me begin with a story.

As Pro Bono Week begins, shining the spotlight on the role of voluntary legal work is of utmost importance, writes Lauren Weetman. The pro bono effort of solicitors has a profound impact on both those seeking access to legal advice and the broader legal community alike. Efforts that shine particular

Ahead of the US election tomorrow, in which one candidate hopes to win bigly, David J Black looks at interference on both sides of the Atlantic. Aspirant President Donald J Trump, who now joins the disparate ranks of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin in condemning the very idea that Scotland should opt f

The new Employment Rights Bill introduced by the UK government represents one of the most significant single items of employment legislation ever to be published and makes provision for 28 different employment law reforms, writes Helen Corden. Among the changes proposed are enhanced rights for worke

Great changes are being wrought in Scotland's law of evidence. Dr Grant Barclay, early career fellow in evidence and criminal law at Edinburgh Law School, looks at the full bench decision in HMA v PG and JM. “Having to apply rules, which prohibit a judge or jury from reaching a just conclusion

A monumental new history of Irish republicanism in Dundee reveals much of the Irish diaspora experience in Scotland and leaves Graham Ogilvy impressed by its thorough research. As a young boy I walked through the derelict tenements of Tipperary every day to get to school and in the evening, after sc