News

Humza Yousaf has promised to decriminalise abortion in Scotland – despite the fact it is not a crime here. Mr Yousaf, who hopes to become Scotland's next leader, said he was supporting campaign group Back Off Scotland's calls for the practice to be fully decriminalised.

Misogynistic harassment could become a criminal offence as part of proposals aimed at providing greater protection for women and girls. A consultation has been launched on the draft reforms, which would create five new laws to provide police and prosecutors with new powers to tackle the "corrosive e

Thorntons has grown its wills, trusts and succession, commercial real estate and residential property teams with a number of new appointments in Dundee, Forfar, St Andrews and Perth. Six new solicitors were brought on board in January and February, in response to a strong growth in demand for servic

A sheriff has determined that the medical treatment provided to a man who stabbed a pensioner while he was out walking his dog was not inadequate in a way that could have resulted in his death being avoided. Frank Kinnis died as a result of head injuries inflicted in the assault by David Johnstone o

A £33 million Scottish government initiative to digitally transform how evidence is managed across the justice system aims to spare witnesses from having to attend court as often and free up police officers’ time. Dundee recently began piloting the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability ser

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has published a report on its review of the time taken by the Law Society of Scotland to investigate conduct complaints remitted to it.

International Women’s Day presents a unique annual opportunity to truly focus on and reflect on the changing face of women in the legal profession. This year is no different and I am choosing to celebrate IWD by recognising the privilege I have as an educated, socially mobile, first generation

The Israeli government is facing escalating opposition to its controversial judicial reforms, with thousands of people taking into the streets in protest and the country's elite fighter jet pilots joining a strike demanding the proposals are withdrawn. The bill currently being considered by the Knes

Yesterday's report that the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, Roddy Dunlop KC, had caused “disquiet and dismay” because of a “Twitter spat” perplexed me greatly. So much so that I wanted to say something – briefly though, as it really is a storm in Tom Thumb’s tea

Parents who seek attention on social media by posting images of their children could be thwarted under a bill being considered in France. The draft private member’s bill seeks to address an increasing number of 'influencers' who garner views by recording the lives of their children.

Colombia has held a court hearing entirely in the Metaverse, complete with an audience of virtual spectators. The administrative court of Magdalena used the virtual reality (VR) platform created by Facebook owner Meta to conduct a hearing in a civil case brought against the Colombian Ministry of Def

Allan McDougall Solicitors has announced the promotion of Alice Bowman to associate. Ms Bowman specialises in employment law issues, with a focus on representing trade union members in employment tribunal claims. A highly experienced solicitor, she provides clients with advice on all aspects of empl

Moving on from inquiries led by the “wise old judge” could help politicians and others to prevent and learn lessons from the most worrying problems of the twenty-first century, academics claim. Using other methods rather than a judge-led public inquiry could lead to better learning and p

In July 2020 the Scottish Law Agents’ Society proposed that the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission charge a modest fee, refundable on success, to those who wish to complain. The amount suggested was £60. Needless to say this proposal has never materialized in the context of the regulat

The director of a business and his employee have been sentenced for dumping household waste in Glasgow. Stuart Allison 53, from Bearsden, was fined £750 and ordered to pay compensation of £1,900 to Glasgow City Council for the clean-up.