News

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Israel subjecting Palestinian detainees to torture and abuse: UN report

Turnover at Gillespie Macandrew has increased 5.5 per cent to £17.7 million as profits reached £5.25m, its latest financial results show. Progress was driven by strong results in each of the firm’s four core sectors, land & rural business, energy, private client and commer

Watermans has completed the acquisition of Edinburgh law firm Cooper Johnson Law. The deal sees Hazel Johnson appointed as the new head of private client as Watermans builds on recent growth to expand that area of the business.

Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced the appointment of Craig Whelton and Claire MacLean as partners. Mr Whelton is a planning lawyer with a wealth of experience particularly in the clean energy sector, regeneration projects and residential development.

The UK remains Europe’s highest-risk jurisdiction for class action lawsuits, with the total claimed value exceeding £120 billion in the period 2018-2023, according to a new report from CMS. Competition class actions comprised 540 million members by the end of 2023, an increase of 200 mil

An English lawyer has sworn a courtroom oath on a river instead of a holy book in what is believed to be a legal first. Paul Powlesland, a barrister who founded and chairs the River Roding Trust, made the oath in order to serve as a juror in a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Holmes Mackillop has promoted Finlay Swan to associate solicitor. Mr Swan joined Holmes Mackillop as a trainee and qualified into the corporate team. Supporting the firm’s UK-wide practice, he specialises in corporate transactional work, particularly in the healthcare, manufacturing and financ

The Law Society of Scotland has granted extended rights of audience to nine solicitor advocates in a ceremony held at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

The Court of the Lord Lyon has made three promotions. Sheriff George Way of Plean CStJ FRSA has been promoted to Rothesay Herald in Ordinary. 

A former councillor caught with child sex abuse images has been given a community payback order. A mobile phone belonging to Ewan Dillon was found to contain 58 indecent photographs of girls aged between five and 15.

A fund to help victims of crime is now open to applications for the fifth time. Organisations that support victims of crime will be able to bid for a share of more than £940,000 in the Victim Surcharge Fund to provide direct help to victims.

Aberdein Considine has appointed media relations specialist Katie Spence as its new PR & external affairs manager. Ms Spence, a former journalist with nearly 20 years’ experience in public sector, corporate and consumer PR, will work with Aberdein Considine’s marketing director Clare

Thousands of Yazidi survivors of atrocities by the Islamic State armed group (IS) remain missing, Amnesty International said ahead of the 10-year anniversary of IS’s attack on the Yazidi community in Iraq.

Themis Advocates has welcomed James Bishop to the clerking team as deputy clerk from 19th August. Practice manager, Kiera Johnston said that James is a "great addition to the clerking team and we are all looking forward to working with him".

A book detailing the history of Dunblane Cathedral’s stained-glass windows is to be published, partly thanks to the help of local law firm Bartys – a branch of Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM). WJM’s office in Dunblane has made a £200 contribution to the Society of