News

The Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators (SOLAR) has appointed Vlad Valiente as its new president. Mr Valiente is the legal services manager and data protection officer for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the fourth largest fire service in the world. He is also a co-convener o

The way we operate as an economy has changed, but the business world has adapted and changed with it. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all businesses to re-evaluate how they operate on a global level. Many businesses have responded by increasing their capacity to operate remotely, through the enhanc

There has been no let-up for Scullion Law's Urfan Dar, who has quickly adapted to working (and training) from home – though his kids appear to be taking a decidedly more relaxed approach.

Dear Editor Following on from Graham’s editorial on 25 March, I would just like to extol the virtues of home-working in the days and months ahead.

People wishing to take oaths remotely have been asked to provide their own holy book or scripture. Oaths, for the religious, and affirmations, for the irreligious, must now, of course, be made over Skype, Zoom or another VoIP service.

Lawyers in England have been afforded a wry laugh during the current crisis at the expense of the Solicitors' Regulation Authority. In a statement on the coronavirus, the regulator stresses that it expects law firms to have "appropriate contingency plans in place for disruption."

All Sheriff Court business has been consolidated into 10 courts across Scotland. In response to the government restrictions on movement during the emergency, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is now moving to the next phase of its contingency plans.

Two men found guilty of firearms offences have failed in an appeal against their convictions. Zak Bennett and Ian Moyes, who were each sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, claimed that the trial judge “misdirected” the jury and that the judge “erred” in repellin

As we enter the darkest days we have faced since World War Two, the thoughts of the team at Scottish Legal News are with our readers and their families – but also with the many law firms which have only recently recovered from the crash of 2008 and its consequences. They now face an even great

Emergency coronavirus legislation will include a six-month ban on evictions from social and private rented sector accommodation, the Scottish government has announced. The move, which forms part of a set of measures brought in to protect people from the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, was confirmed

All organisations across the world are facing challenges as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Kelly Fraser says many Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) will be concerned about what this means for their day-to-day operations. While data protection is often a term that we want to avo

Registers of Scotland (RoS) has been encouraged to find a "sensible solution" to completing applications to register title to land after the Keeper suspended all activity in light of the coronavirus pandemic. RoS said in a statement: "We are working on a digital solution that will enable us to allow

BTO’s wills and estates team is offering a free 20-minute consultation and dedicated helpline to help people put their affairs in order in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Ross Brown, head of BTO’s wills and estates team in Glasgow, said: “We are acutely aware that the coronaviru

A policy allowing counsel to appear in civil courts without an instructing agent has been extended to the criminal courts. Dean of Faculty, Gordon Jackson QC, stated in a Dean's Ruling: "Until further notice, counsel may appear without an instructing agent, if the circumstances require, for all crim

The first Scottish court decision on the Electronic Communications Code, which was introduced to the UK under the Digital Economy Act 2017, has been issued. It highlights the increase in power that telecommunications operators are now enjoying, write Gareth Hale and Sarah Peock. The caseThe case of