News

A Holyrood committee is taking evidence this morning as it explores the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of hyperscale data centres in Scotland. The Climate Action Committee is taking evidence from environmental organisations and campaign groups with concerns about t

The Law Society of Scotland has welcomed a record-breaking number of Scottish solicitors to the legal profession this week in three ceremonies held in Edinburgh. At the ceremonies which took place at the Signet Library on Monday and Tuesday this week, 161 solicitors were presented with their certifi

The lord advocate has appointed Dominic Scullion as the first standing junior counsel to the Scottish government. Mr Scullion qualified as a solicitor in 2012, as a solicitor advocate in 2016 and called to the bar in 2020. He acted for the Scottish ministers for several years as a solicitor before b

South Korean lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has urged President Lee Jae Myung to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, arguing that its depiction of a North Korean invasion highlights the need for military preparedness. Writing on Facebook, Han said: "I hope the image of a Seoul reduced to ashes in the game

Sarah Loosemore has been elected as deputy clerk of the Faculty of Advocates and was formally introduced to members at Parliament House yesterday. Ms Loosemore has a mixed criminal and civil practice, with a focus on criminal appeals, extradition, clinical negligence, public law and inquiries. Since

Scottish legal organisations and members of the Ukrainian community have been recognised for helping Ukrainian lawyers integrate into the UK profession and providing legal assistance to Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Visa and Mastercard could face a £5 billion group claim over allegations that they have restricted competition and charged UK businesses excessive fees on card payments. Law firms Harcus Parker and Hausfeld have applied to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to pursue compensation for companies th

Alcohol minister Maree Todd has pledged further action to tackle alcohol-related harm as new figures show alcohol-specific deaths have fallen for the second year in a row. According to figures released by National Records of Scotland, the number of alcohol-specific deaths fell by three per cent to 1

Legal departments are being flooded with AI-generated correspondence, according to a new report by Dentons.  Employee grievances, customer complaints and GDPR requests are now routinely drafted using AI tools, which has placed a significant burden on in-house legal teams.

DAC Beachcroft has appointed Clare Dewar as a partner in its real estate team in Scotland. Ms Dewar, who joins from Brodies, brings more than 20 years' experience in commercial real estate matters. In recent years she has advised on some of Scotland's most significant transactions, including major r

The number of homicide victims recorded in Scotland rose by 19 per cent in 2025-26, although the total remained the fourth lowest since comparable records began in 1976. Figures published today by Scotland's chief statistician show that 56 victims were recorded in 2025-26, nine more than the 47 reco

European crisp makers fear their steak and bacon flavours could be caught by proposed EU rules banning meat-related names on vegetarian and vegan foods. The legislation aims to prevent plant-based products from being marketed using terms such as steak, chicken, pork and liver. However, the European

The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is calling on people across mid to north east Scotland to share their experiences of economic, social and cultural rights as part of their spotlight research into how these rights are being realised in communities across the region. The visit is part of th

To mark End Workplace Bullying Day this week, Weightmans has launched a campaign calling on employers to address the problem and create workplaces where harmful behaviour is recognised, challenged and stopped. According to research commissioned by the firm, from a nationally representative survey of

Burness Paull has appointed energy expert Sarah Vass as a partner to lead the firm’s energy exploration and production (E&P) team. Ms Vass brings extensive experience of the energy sector, having served most recently as general counsel for TotalEnergies E&P UK Limited. Over her time at