News

Malcolm McPherson of HBJ Gateley (right) with Mark Coulter of Coulters. Edinburgh based solicitor-estate agency Coulters has announced a merger with HBJ Property, a division of HBJ Gateley.

Lady Dorrian A packed First Division courtroom witnessed Scottish legal history, with the installation of Lady Dorrian as Lord Justice Clerk. She is the first woman to hold either of the two senior judicial titles in Scotland.

A convicted rapist subject to an order for lifelong restriction who claimed that the prison service breached his human rights by failing to provide him with an opportunity to rehabilitate himself has had a petition for judicial review dismissed. David Beattie, who was made the subject of the OLR in

Duncan Weston Ex-Dundas and Wilson partners will be included in CMS’ annual partner remuneration for the first time, The Lawyer reports.

The House of Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee has published a report “representing the full spectrum of opinion” on the question of the UK’s continuing membership of the European Union. Five members have declared for 'Leave' and five for 'Remain'. The chair’s position is currently undecl

Kenny Crawford The volume of residential property sales rose 18.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015-16 compared to the same period last year, according to official statistics published today by Registers of Scotland.

Charities have called Scottish Labour’s proposals to make the purchase of sex illegal a “rapists’ charter”, The Herald reports. SCOT-PEP and UK-wide National Ugly Mugs argue the proposed changes, which would see only buyers punished, would still leave sex workers vulnerable to criminal sanct

Sheelagh Cooley Shoosmiths has advised NatWest Scotland on its investment to support a large residential housing project in Portobello, Edinburgh, led by developers, Kerwick Ltd.

Stephen Gibb Shepherd and Wedderburn has been awarded Investors in Young People Gold Accreditation. This recognition is in addition to its long standing Investors in People accreditation.

The European Court of Human Rights has unanimously held that there was a violation of article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of five applicants who lodged separate complaints about the Russian authorities’ response to demonstrations held by each of

The Hillsborough inquest, the longest in British legal history, has concluded that 96 football fans who were crushed to death in 1989 were unlawfully killed. The jury answered 14 questions about how people died at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

China has put a disabled human rights lawyer under house arrest and stopped foreign diplomats from seeing her, weeks after the US State Department gave her an award for bravery. Ni Yulan, who defended people evicted from their homes, told Reuters she has been under house arrest for 12 days.

Sheriff Principal Craig Scott QC A sheriff’s decision to desert a trial simpliciter on the basis that the proceedings would inevitably be “unfair” after it emerged that CCTV images identifying the accused would not be available has been successfully challenged by prosecutors.

Theresa May The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has said the UK should withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Alison McInnes The Scottish Liberal Democrats have revealed a Police Scotland database of over 850 million number plate records is logged by a method that is not backed by any specific law.