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An unemployed motorist who was fined a total of £460 to be paid over 92 weeks after admitting driving without a licence and without insurance has successfully challenged the penalties imposed. The Sheriff Appeal Court ruled that fines were “excessive” and amounted to a “miscarriage of justice

Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael (pictured right) has lost a bid to have his legal fees paid following a failed challenge to his election in the wake of the Frenchgate affair. In last year's landmark case, four of his constituents raised an action against him under the

A prison governor has revealed that new prisons for women will resemble flats and will have cooking and laundry facilities. Rhona Hotchkiss, governor of Cornton Vale prison, said women in a number of new custodial units would also be able to come and go to gyms and work placements and that the commu

Kate Hodgkiss Lawyers have taken opposite sides over proposals to devolve employment law to Holyrood, with some arguing Scotland could become overwhelmed with cases from elsewhere in the UK because of the Scottish government's intention to scrap controversial hearing fees.

A positive step in the right direction. This is the conclusion of the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee on proposed legislation to ban parking on pavements. The Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill, a members’ bill introduced by Sandra White MSP, pro

Jill Turnbull The Edinburgh office of national law firm Shoosmiths is building upon its successful real estate practice with the appointment of associate Jill Turnbull.

Harper Macleod has hit a significant milestone in Edinburgh with the appointment of two new partners taking its tally to 20 in the capital – almost doubling its total over the past six months. The firm, Scotland’s third largest professional services partnership, now has 72 partners across the co

Deborah McCathie Gilson Gray has appointed Deborah McCathie as a partner and head of residential conveyancing.

Fraser Gillies Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP has played a leading role in the development of two Scottish onshore wind farms which recently secured £76 million in financing.

Ten solicitors are among the first appointed to the new judicial office of summary sheriff, created under the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014. Christine McLintock, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “This is a significant step in the ongoing reforms to our courts in Scotland which w

(L-R): Peter Griffiths, and Brian Inkster, Photo Credit: Kat Gollock Inksters Solicitors has sponsored a new award category at the Arts & Business Scotland Awards 2015 for "Business Creativity". The award was the brainchild of Inksters’ founder, Brian Inkster, who persuaded his fellow judges t

A man who exchanged a number of “grossly offensive” and “indecent” jokes with a friend on a social networking site about the death of a child and made sexual remarks about children has successfully appealed to have his name removed from the sex offenders’ register. The Criminal Appeal Cour

A solicitor advocate whose wife, daughter and another driver were killed in a car crash while he was at the wheel has been found not guilty of causing their deaths at Inverness Sheriff Court. Andrew Houston's Audi A4 hit a Jeep on A9 in July 2013. His wife, Abigail, 42 and daughter Mia, seven, as we

Plans to include video-conference communications with MSPs in the Scottish government's lobbying proposals have been welcomed by Law Society of Scotland – though it noted the absence of provision for other forms of communication at this stage. Brian Simpson, policy officer at the Law Society said:

Lorna Jack The Law Society of Scotland is seeking solicitors’ views on the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission's (SLCC) draft operating plan and budget for 2016/17.