News

As readers will no doubt be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has applied from 25 May 2018. Six months on, Daradjeet Jagpal carries out an initial appraisal of four key aspects of the GDPR and provides his thoughts on what lies ahead. Transparency

The tough economic conditions which have engulfed Aberdeen for the last four years may be coming to an end with new figures indicating tentative signs of a recovery in the local property market, according to a new report. Three areas across Scotland also continued to show heavy demand, with Edinburg

Humanists have written to Scottish government secretaries Aileen Campbell and Humza Yousaf to call for Scotland’s common law offence against blasphemy to be dropped in forthcoming legislation covering hate crime. A letter from Humanist Society Scotland calls the retention of the common la

A new expert group will begin work within weeks to improve support, advice and information for complainers and victims, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has announced. The Victims Taskforce will meet on 12 December for the first time.

Sixty-one new solicitors were admitted to the profession at the Law Society of Scotland’s latest Admission Ceremony which took place on Friday at the Signet Library in Edinburgh.

An independent expert review of mental health and other support for young people entering HM Prison & Young Offenders Institute Polmont is being established. A mental health expert will work with the independent HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland and others to review mental health provision

Law students from under-represented groups have been finding out more about the benefits of a legal career in government.

The celebrated US attorney, David Rudolf, has thanked the Scottish Criminal Bar Association for a “great” evening of discussion. Mr Rudolf was the guest at a special event in Glasgow and gave a talk about the case of Michael Peterson, a novelist in North Carolina who was accused of murde

President Donald Trump has become embroiled in a row with America's top judge after the president blamed a court defeat for the government on an "Obama judge". Justice John Roberts, Chief Justice of the United States, hit back in defence of the independence of the judiciary after Trump criticised Ju

Criminal defence lawyers in England and Wales have welcomed Lord Chancellor David Gauke's announcement of a one per cent increase in legal aid fees. The announcement followed the end of the UK government's consultation on its earlier proposal to increase spending on the revised Advocates Graduated F

The University of St Andrews has launched court action against a company which is selling its own version of the university's iconic red gown at a discount. The university sells gowns for £159 each, but an Australian company called Churchill Gowns is now offering red "St Andrews" gowns online

A new report exploring why there is a lack of strategic court action by NGOs in Scotland and suggesting recommendations to address this has been published. Overcoming Barriers to Public Interest Litigation in Scotland suggests key barriers are: poor access to information about court cases; limitatio

A man who claimed he did not pose a “serious risk of harm to the public” after being given an extended sentence for possessing and distributing indecent images of children has had an appeal against a sheriff’s decision to impose an extension period dismissed. John Doherty, whose ca

Community ownership should become a normal option for the acquisition of land and assets, according to a report from the Scottish Land Commission. The report, which follows a review of existing community right to buy mechanisms and community ownership in Scotland, makes a number of recommendations t

MacRoberts has secured a place on the UK government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS) public sector full-service panel. The CCS opened the tender for its wider public sector legal services roster last year and announced a five-lot framework covering regional and full-service work in March, with