News

Recreational use of marijuana has been legalised in Canada. The Canadian Parliament in Ottawa passed the Cannabis Act yesterday, with the Senate voting 59-20 in favour.

A petition seeking judicial review of the Scottish Government’s purported ban on “fracking” has been refused, after a judge ruled that there was in fact “no prohibition” against the controversial process of oil and gas extraction in Scotland – despite ministerial

Brexit is threatening the Sewel convention "almost to destruction", according to one academic. Writing in The Herald today, Aileen McHarg, professor of public law at Strathclyde University, said that the UK government had not explained its breach of the Sewel convention in the Commons last week &nda

A European Union committee will vote tomorrow on controversial copyright proposals ahead of a vote in the Parliament next month. The Committee on Legal Affairs will vote on the report on copyright in the digital single market, which details legislation intended to protect rights holders.

Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee today approved legislation that bans the use of plastic microbeads in personal care products in Scotland. Microbeads, which can be found in face scrubs, toothpastes and shower gels, can pass through sewage systems and reach seas

106 new solicitors were welcomed to the profession at the Law Society of Scotland’s latest admission ceremonies, which took place on Friday at the Signet Library in Edinburgh.

A new leader has been chosen for the specialist group of Faculty of Advocates’ members who practise in family law. Kate Dowdalls QC, has been named as chair of the Advocates’ Family Law Association (AFLA), and she is joined by a fresh line-up of office-bearers and committee members.

Lesley Murphy looks at the law around remote working. Avoid the commute. Keep a cheeky eye on the World Cup matches. Spend the day in your trackies. What is not to love about homeworking?

The European Court of Human Rights elected Vincent A. De Gaetano (Malta) as a new section president this week. He has been elected for a two-year term and will take up his duties on 1 September 2018.

Only a third of businesses in the legal sector are open to the idea of hiring transgender staff, according to a new report from an English law firm. Crosslands Solicitors has surveyed 1,000 UK businesses across a range of sectors on their attitude towards transgender workers.

Pictured: Headway Tayside Chairman with Thorntons representativeand Ron, Robin and George who have all benefited from Headway’s services. Thorntons Solicitors recently took part in Hats for Headway, a fancy dress fundraiser in aid of Action for Brain Injury – and raised more than £

Millar & Bryce, Scotland’s leading land and property search firm, has launched Financial Asset Search (FAS), to support legal professionals and executors during the executry administration process. Recognising the complex and time-consuming measures practitioners undertake during the admin

Mackinnon Advocates Glasgow, in conjunction with the Falkirk Faculty, host their fifth CPD event of 2018 on Thursday 28th June in Falkirk. The seminar will be provided by two of our highly experienced Criminal Law Advocates:

Scotland's biggest council has agreed to pay compensation to the family of a boy who died after a headstone fell on him. Ciaran Williamson, 8, was playing in Craigton Cemetery with friends when the incident occurred on 26 May 2015.

The Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal has issued its findings in the cases of Law Society v Steven Archibald Murray and Law Society v William Lawson Criggie. Mr Murray was found guilty of professional misconduct singly and in cumulo in respect that (a) he took fees without or before rendering