News

A prisoner who claimed the restraint used by security officers to take him from jail to attend hospital appointments was “disproportionate” is to be awarded damages after a sheriff ruled the inmate’s human rights had been breached. The pursuer James McDowall argued that the absence of an “in

Solicitor general Lesley Thomson QC Lawyers representing the families of victims of the Glasgow bin lorry crash have said their clients are struggling to successfully apply for legal aid for the fatal accident inquiry (FAI).

The next Advocate General for Scotland, the UK government's senior Scottish law officer, is likely to be announced within the next 48 hours sources at Whitehall have said. It is believed that the Prime Minister, David Cameron, will appoint Richard Keen QC, 61, current Scottish Conservatives cha

Harper Macleod has announced plans for expansion as its fee income for the latest financial year hit £22 million. The firm's highlights in 2014-15 included its legal adviser role for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the integration of niche private client firmBird Semple into its operations

CMS is in a period of "organic growth" in Scotland, one year on from the successful acquisition of Dundas & Wilson. Stephen Millar, one of the firm's two executive partners in Scotland, said the legal sector in Scotland is in a "more healthy" position because of ongoing consolidation and hailed

The new Conservative administration is set to publish a European Union Referendum Bill as soon as next week, according to a senior Whitehall source quoted in press reports. A piece of legislation to enable an in-out referendum on the European Union is expected to be among the first bills published o

This week the SLN spotlight falls on solicitor advocate John Scott QC of Capital Defence lawyers who was recently appointed to chair the new independent Stop and Search Advisory group. What has been your best experience as a lawyer?

Property owners and businesses are being asked their views on plans to introduce water, drainage and sewerage charges for owners of empty business properties. At the moment, owners of these empty properties pay no water, sewerage or drainage charges and the cost of service provision is met by other

Laura Tainsh (pictured), a partner and environmental lawyer with commercial law firm Davidson Chalmers, has been accredited by the Law Society of Scotlandas a specialist in environmental law.

Members of the Faculty of Advocates enjoyed a visit to the Court of the Lord Lyon which, they heard, was probably the last of its kind anywhere in the world. Dr Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms, an office dating back to the 14th Century, welcomed the guests and suggested it was important that t

A pub chain has been handed a bill of nearly £1 million after it racially discriminated against gypsies and travellers by preventing them from entering one of its establishments. Wetherspoon was given the fine after a historic ruling in which a judge held that a group of Irish travellers were discr

Martin Darroch Harper Macleod has announced plans for expansion as its fee income for the latest financial year hit £22 million.

  Laura Tainsh

A company whose application for planning permission to develop a windfarm was refused has failed in an appeal against that decision. Judges in the Inner House of the Court of Session ruled that there was “no question of any illegality or procedural impropriety such as would justify quashing the de

Lord Tyre The owners of an industrial site who raised an action for interdict to prevent a tenant from demolishing a derelict building have been told by a Court of Session judge to resolve their dispute without further court procedure.