News

The UK government has announced a new package of workplace reforms it calls the "largest upgrade in workers' rights in over a generation". The announcement takes forward 51 of the 53 recommendations made last summer by the Taylor Review, led by Matthew Taylor, CEO of the Royal Society of Arts and fo

David Buchanan-Cook, head of strategic insight at the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC), writes on stress for lawyers at Christmas-time. Christmas is often an unintended bearer of stress. It’s that time of year when otherwise innocuous factors can collide and accumulate to create a s

Tony McGlennan, legal director at Addleshaw Goddard, writes on a new crackdown on nuisance phone calls. The frustrating feeling of your day being interrupted by a nuisance sales call, or your inbox filling with spam emails is something with which most of us are all too familiar. Whether it’s P

Kate Fergusson, head of responsible business at Pinsent Masons, reflects on the international law firm's fundraising work in Scotland. This season of goodwill brings out the best in people and evidence is all around us when you consider the huge number of charitable initiatives which come to the for

The Police Investigations & Review Commissioner (PIRC) has found that police were justified in their use of a taser to arrest a man who they believed posed a threat to people inside his flat. The 32-year-old was incapacitated by an armed officer using the conductive energy device at the property

The Faculty of Advocates' choir is fine-tuning its festive songbook ahead of its traditional charity carol concert on Tuesday. As it has done for the last 22 years, the choir will perform all the seasonal favourites at its Christmas concert in aid of Edinburgh’s homeless.

Seosamh Gráinséir, writing for "Irish Legal Heritage" in our sister publication Irish Legal News, reflects on 'pitchcapping', a gruesome practice which may interest readers in Scotland. During the United Irishman Rebellion of 1798, one of the forms of torture used by the British on sus

A developer who tore down a historic San Francisco house has been ordered to build an exact replica - and install a plaque outside explaining what happened. Property speculators have made a game out of tearing down historically protected homes, then retroactively applying for demolition permits, and

A woman who challenged a confiscation order imposed after her brother was convicted of drugs offences in an attempt to prevent the sale of a property in Edinburgh of which she claimed to be the “beneficial owner” has had her appeal rejected. The Inner House of the Court of Session&n

Burness Paull, based on the third floor of Exchange Plaza in Edinburgh has leased the 16,676 sq ft second floor beneath its current premises, taking its total floor space in the building to 33,353 sq ft.

Lord Sumption's retirement from the Supreme Court this week has triggered renewed calls for the age at which judges must leave the bench to be raised, The Times reports. Lord Sumption caused a stir after he was elevated to the Supreme Court straight from the bar in 2012.

Adverts that depict gender stereotypes including women struggling to park and men being baffled by nappies are to be banned under new rules set out by advertising regulators. These “harmful gender stereotypes” will be outlawed in an attempt to curb adverts which could negatively impact t

Jennifer Broatch and Maria Gravelle look at the provisions of the new domestic abuse legislation. Domestic abuse can describe a multitude of behaviour, from physical violence to exercising total control over a partner’s everyday life. Yet, the current law in Scotland only recognises the physic

Alan Meek analyses the Court of Appeal case of Global Corporate Limited v Dirk Stefan Hale. The original decision of HH Judge Paul Matthews last year in this case had been the subject of considerable adverse comment but has now been overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Thorntons has welcomed an experienced property manager to its team to cover South and West Fife. Gavin Venters, who has 19 years’ experience in property valuations, has been appointed as Dunfermline property manager.