News

A woman pulled a foot-long alligator from her trousers after being pulled over by police for running through a stop sign. Dozens of small turtles were also recovered from the vehicle after the traffic stop in Charlotte County, Florida.

A man who was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to serious and violent assaults against his former partner has failed in an appeal to have his sentence reduced. The Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary rejected the appellant’s claim that he ought to have been given

Scottish lawyer Fiona Nicolson is to become president of a global intellectual property organisation. Ms Nicolson, a partner with law firm Bristows LLP, a technology and life sciences firm based in London, takes over as president of Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), which

Michael Sheridan reflects on the changes proposed by the Roberton Review and the urgent need for Scots lawyers to participate in the discussion on the future of legal regulation. This is a period of seismic change in the regulation of the legal profession. Whereas previously there was a long-standin

An immigration solicitor has called on the Justice Secretary to review rules preventing Scottish residents from receiving Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) funding for Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) cases, The Herald reports. Challenges to Home Office immigration decisions in Scotland a

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has announced a series of senior promotions including that of Philip Knight, who has been made a partner in its Edinburgh office. Mr Knight heads up the firm's litigation practice in Scotland and deals with a broad range of commercial, insolvency and real estate

Primary school-aged children will no longer be arrested and treated as offenders, following the passing of the Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill. The bill will make far-reaching changes to the way that the law treats children under 12 with Scotland leading by increasing the age of criminal respons

EU member states can not place their own conditions on the registration of lawyers from another member state and must apply the principle of proportionality to conditions on their ability to practise, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled. The court delivered its judgment yeste

Scotland’s national drink has secured enhanced legal protection in South Korea after the Scotch Whisky Association’s application to register “Scotch Whisky” as a certification trademark was successful. Amongst other things, Scotch Whisky must be aged in oak casks in Scotland

The Scottish Arbitration Centre has announced its new Ambassador scheme. The ambassadors consist of 28 Scottish practitioners working mainly in arbitration from around the world.

Hilary Peppiette writes about a legal organisation that supports the elderly and how practitioners in Scotland can get involved. Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) is a group of solicitors and paralegals who specialise in providing support and advice to older people and to people who may be vulnerable

A court had to be closed after sewage from a faulty toilet flooded the reception area. A ceiling was also reported to be “stained brown” with dirty water at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Ten business-minded solicitors gathered at Harper Macleod's Glasgow office for the start-up meeting of the Legal Entrepreneurs' Breakfast Club last week. The Breakfast Club was set up by HM Connect, a support and referral network for law firms in Scotland, to help unlock the entrepreneurial vision o

Students and school pupils attended the Faculty of Advocates' Open Day this week. They are pictured above listening to opening remarks from Clerk of Faculty, Richard Pugh.

A court's austere atmosphere was transformed when a singing group used the venue to perform a comic operetta – with a legal theme. Ugie Voices took over Peterhead Sheriff Court to stage a version of the Gilbert and Sullivan Trial By Jury, The Press and Journal reports.