News

Scotland's total legal aid bill was £137.8 million in 2015-16, down slightly on £138.6 million in 2014-15, according to the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB). The figures are included in SLAB's annual report, laid before the Scottish Parliament yesterday.

Donald Findlay QC (pictured) earned more in legal aid payments than any other advocate in 2015-16, new Scottish Legal Aid Board figures show. Mr Findlay was paid £288,000 in 2015-16, an 11 per cent increase on £259,000 in 2014-15.

Glasgow-based Livingstone Brown Solicitors has maintained its status as the largest recipient of legal aid in Scotland, despite a 13 per cent drop in the total amount it received. The firm was paid nearly £1.7 million in 2015-16, down from more than £1.9 million in 2014-15.

Senior solicitor advocate Iain Paterson (pictured) of Paterson Bell Solicitors earned £195,000 in legal aid payments in 2015-16, new figures show. Mr Paterson's total payments represented a 27 per cent decline on £267,000 in 2014-15, but he retained his position as the highest-earning solicitor ad

A pilot court project in Aberdeen that sees sheriffs tackle the reasons behind persistent offending has been hailed as “pioneering” by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson (pictured). Since November 2015, sheriffs in Aberdeen Sheriff Court have been involved in identifying support for the chronic

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP has announced the promotion of Martin O’Neill (pictured) to senior associate and Nicola Martin to associate. Mr O’Neill is a member of WJM’s corporate team and specialises in commercial contracts, intellectual property and technology law.

Charles Livingstone Charles Livingstone, partner in the public law and regulatory team at Brodies LLP, explains the Scottish government's arguments in the Brexit case before the UK Supreme Court.

Angela Crawley, SNP equalities spokesperson The SNP has called on the UK government to match its commitment to reforming gender recognition laws ahead of a House of Commons debate.

Delegates are gathering at an Edinburgh conference today to mark 250 years since the world's first Freedom of Information legislation was introduced in Sweden. The Freedom of Information 2016 conference in The Royal Scots Club has been organised by the Scottish Information Commissioner and Holyrood

Govan Law Centre (GLC) has welcomed the news that the Big Lottery Fund’s Investing in Communities Programme is providing a grant over three years to establish its Private Rented Tenants Project.

A petition demanding the repeal of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 after it came into force this week has gained more than 144,000 signatures and must be debated in the UK Parliament. Dubbed the Snooper’s Charter by its critics, the act allows the authorities to hack computers and phones and col

The three-year time limit that prevents childhood abuse survivors from seeking civil damages in court is the focus of a call for evidence issued by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee. The evidence received will inform the committee’s scrutiny of the Limitations (Childhood Abuse)

The Lord Advocate has been refused permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court after a British businessman wanted by authorities in Taiwan to serve a prison sentence won a human rights appeal against a decision to extradite him. Zain Dean was sentenced to four years imprisonment after being convict

Stephen Gibb Shepherd and Wedderburn has today announced further expansion of its Aberdeen operations through the acquisition of The Commercial Law Practice (CLP), an independent business law firm, which has provided legal services dedicated to the business community in Aberdeen and surrounding area

Professor Hector MacQueen In the latest phase of its review of contract law in Scotland, the Scottish Law Commission has today published a Discussion Paper on the rule against penalty clauses in contracts, raising for consultation purposes the possibilities that the rule be abolished outright, or be