News

A Lord Ordinary has ruled that a woman who instructed English solicitors in order to conduct litigation in the Court of Session could not charge their £250,000 account to the unsuccessful defender. Thelem Assurances, the defender in the action raised by Dr Margaret Kirkwood, objected to the or

Manufacturers of women's clothing in Iran have been threatened with closure if they persist in using "loud" colours. Iran's ministry of industry and trade has "emphasised that manufacturers should not use loud colours", according to the head of Iran's fashion and clothing organisation.

Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights yesterday and declined to answer questions put to him by the New York attorney general at a scheduled deposition. He was to be deposed by lawyers from Attorney General Letitia James' office as part of a civil investigation into whether or not the Trump

Global law firm Clyde & Co has reported revenue of £650 million in the last full financial year before its merger with BLM earlier this summer. Firmwide revenues rose by 2.6 per cent in the year ending 30 April 2022, with growth measured on a constant currency basis and growth of 1.6 per c

Law Society of Scotland president, Murray Etherington, is to take to the road for a series of in-person constituency visits after a two-year hiatus. The society’s annual visits to faculties across the country moved online during the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s events present an opport

Hot on the heels of the Wagatha Christie saga which brought defamation arising from social media into the minds of many, new legislation which reforms the law of defamation in Scotland came into force on 8 August. Baktosch Gillan and Mike Kemp explain the details. Prior to the Defamation and Ma

Hourly rates at the UK's richest law firms have doubled in the past 15 years, a new report shows. Costs expert Jim Diamond said that rates for partners at magic circle firms have now reached between £1,000 and £1,500 – compared with the £625-£700 charged in 2007.

Holyrood "plainly" lacks the power to hold an independence referendum, the UK government law officers have said. In October, the Supreme Court will determine whether MSPs can legislate for a vote without Westminster's support.

A group of five trainees at Balfour and Manson are trekking up Ben Nevis in aid of Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS). Findlay Glynn, Jess Armstrong, Millie Shand, Laura Dodson and Claire Metcalfe will be setting off at 10pm on 3 September and hope to reach the summit at 3am on 4 September.

Gilson Gray has strengthened its Dundee team, with the appointment of a new partner. John Kydd, a litigator with a 20-year career across Tayside and the north-east of Scotland, has joined Gilson Gray. He was previously a partner with Thorntons, having joined as a trainee in 2001.

An English High Court judge has rejected a motion by a local authority seeking a five-day hearing to try unadmitted allegations in a case involving a child placed into care two days after his birth. It was not accepted by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council that admissions made by VM, the mother o

Lawyers for United Sex Workers (USW) have applied to the Court of Session on the union’s behalf to be part of a judicial review of the City of Edinburgh Council's decision to ban strip clubs. Edinburgh Council has opposed that application and the Labour-led administration will ask the court no

Pop star Taylor Swift has appealed against a judge's ruling permitting a trial over claims she plagiarised lyrics for her hit song Shake It Off. Swift's lawyers argued the judgment was “unprecedented” and said that the case was based on phrases that are commonly used.

Former US president Donald Trump will today be questioned under oath as part of a long-running investigation into his business practices. Letitia James, the New York attorney general, has since 2019 been investigating whether Mr Trump and his Trump Organization misled lenders, insurers and tax autho

Criminal barristers in England and Wales are being balloted on whether their industrial action over the low rates of legal aid should be escalated into an "uninterrupted strike". In a letter to members, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said all of those on strike "made the decision to withdraw the