News

A new system of instructing second post-mortem examinations of homicide victims has been put forward by the Faculty of Advocates, in an attempt to ease the grief of bereaved families. Under the suggested scheme, a panel of forensic pathologists would be available to perform defence post-mortems with

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has published a report today criticising the Draft Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. These Home Office Regulations are a contingency measure in case of a no-deal Brexit which relate to 24 different securit

The UK government is preparing new legislation that will give police the power to stop and search drone pilots near airports. The Drones Bill will also extend the drone exclusion zone around airports from 1km to 5km.

A new convention on the profession of the lawyer has been proposed by the Council of Europe amid rising attacks on practitioners around the world. Every day, lawyers are harassed, threatened, prosecuted, imprisoned or even murdered, simply for carrying out their professional activities. In recent ye

A Holyrood committee has expressed concern about the lack of transparency, accountability and alignment of Business Gateway, a local-authority provision that aims to help businesses develop and grow. With 10 years having passed since the Scottish government transferred Business Gateway to Scotl

Addleshaw Goddard has established a legal support hub in Edinburgh operated by five paralegals and a manager. Paralegals Kirsty Peters, Fraser Ramsay, Sarah Buzuk, Leo Kritikos and Megan Newrot have joined the firm's transaction services team (TST) and will be managed by West Middleto

Professor John Cairns has given the first of the Alan Watson Memorial Lectures, entitled "Slavery and the Law in Eighteenth Century Scotland."

Glasgow University has launched a legal podcast that promises to feature expert discussion on a range of legal topics. The inaugural episode of UofG Law Podcast sees host Dr Alan Brown speak to Dr Jill Robbie about her comparative research project on private water rights.

A university has established its own law firm to give students "real life work experience" while they study. Sheffield Hallam University said the initiative is the first to incorporate work experience into every year of the law degree.

The Law Society of Ireland has expanded an initiative that sees trainee solicitors teach prisoners about the law. The Street Law Prisons programme is now offered in a number of Irish prisons, including Wheatfield Prison, Mountjoy, the Dóchas Centre and Arbour Hill, as well as The Pathways Cen

The teenager filmed in a confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. in January is suing a newspaper – for £250 million. Nicholas Sandmann, 16, is seeking the sum from the Washington Post based on its initial coverage of an event that saw a group of teenagers in a stand-off

A man found guilty of murder for a second time following a re-trial had had an appeal against his sentence dismissed. Cameron Laurie, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum custodial period of 18 years after being convicted, along with co-accused Ryan Gibb, of the murder of James Chad

An infuriated sheriff has thrown out three cases after getting fed up with the lack of work done by the Crown. Cases on hospital assault as well as a knife in jail and a hit-and-run accident were all thrown out within half an hour, The Herald reports.

The Glasgow Sheriff Court Alcohol Court is to deal with domestic abuse cases in which alcohol has played a role from next month. Offenders convicted of domestic abuse offences have so far not been admitted to the court but a new scheme offering an alternative to custody will let the court consi

Motorists who break the law could avoid penalty point by signing up to speed awareness courses (SACs) if proposed plans go ahead, The Scotsman reports. Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC has called for SACs to be introduced to Scotland, bringing it into line with England and Wales.