News

The Law Society of Scotland has signed up to an international declaration on protecting the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession. The move follows the organisation’s warnings about new proposals to reform regulation of legal services, which could see unprecedented direct inte

Lawyers have underscored the escalating risks that companies face for failing to adequately safeguard children's data. Video games companies, social media platforms and companies using facial recognition technology have all recently come under fire from data protection regulators across Europe for n

Commercial law firm MacRoberts has strengthened its corporate finance and employment practices with the promotion of two new partners. Bonar Mercer specialises in corporate law, focusing on transactional work including mergers, acquisitions and investments. He advises on transactions across numerous

A man who embezzled £170,000 from a deceased woman who had hired him as a financial advisor and later appointed him executor of her estate has lost a High Court appeal against his conviction.  Gordon Couch, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for embezzling funds from the

Portugal has approved new legislation allowing for assisted dying and euthanasia in limited circumstances. The bill was approved by parliamentarians from the governing Socialist Party and its centre-left allies in spite of serious opposition from the country's conservative president, who had vetoed

Plans to hold young offenders under the age of 18 in secure care rather than young offender institutes (YOIs) will require additional resources, a Holyrood committee has warned. There are significantly higher costs associated with holding young people in secure care rather than YOIs, the criminal ju

Burness Paull has appointed Mark Kirke as a partner in its construction and projects team as the firm seeks to address increasing client demand and to seize opportunities in a sector witnessing substantial investment. Mr Kirke, who is dual-qualified in English and Scots law and recognised as a

An armed robber allegedly confused staff at a Subway sandwich shop by demanding they hand over "all the bread". Chicago man Abail Bekele, 20, is accused of robbing two Subway restaurants while on bail for another robbery, CWBChicago reports.

The English barristers' regulator has been asked to discipline Home Secretary Suella Braverman for expressing "racist sentiments and discriminatory narratives". Nine legal and faith organisations have complained to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) about Ms Braverman, who is a qualified barrister but ha

A former judge of the Supreme Court has expressed concern about the compatibility of Scottish government proposals for juryless rape trials with the independence of the judiciary. Lord Hope of Craighead has said he is "very uneasy" with clause 40 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotlan

Lawyers will compete for the Brodie Cup next week at the Royal Faculty's inter-firm golf tournament, with today the final day for registrations. The competition will take place at Pollok Golf Club on the afternoon of Wednesday 24 May.

Glasgow’s Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar is to preside over the final of a prestigious student mooting competition. The event at the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow next Wednesday 24 May will see teams from Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and City of Glasgow College battle it out ag

The Dundee criminal defence agents met on Wednesday 3 May, and it was a unanimous decision that they will not be taking part in the Scottish government's planned juryless trials pilot scheme. After this meeting I noted numerous Bar Associations and Faculties doing the same thing. On Tuesday 9 May, w

Eligibility for free student tuition support in Scotland will be extended to cover a wider range of immigration statuses following a court ruling. The Scottish government has published its response to a recent consultation on student support residency conditions which was launched following the deci

A couple who moved into a property in order to redecorate it for its owners and subsequently refused to move out have lost an appeal against a sheriff’s decision that they occupied the property under a licence agreement rather than a private residential tenancy. Original defenders Jamie and Lo