News

The Law Society of Scotland has today published a report into racial inclusion within the Scottish legal profession, finding an increasingly diverse and progressive sector that wants to do more, but is hampered by slow progress, lack of visible minority role models and experiences of bias. Alongside

An activist who was deceived into a long-term intimate and sexual relationship with an undercover Metropolitan Police officer has been awarded a nearly £230,000 payout by a tribunal. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) ruled that Kate Wilson should be paid a sum of £229,471.96 by the

Gender inequality and improving women’s experiences within the justice system will be addressed by a new Scottish government panel. Members will examine the experiences of women as both victims and offenders in a range of settings including policing, community justice, criminal and civil court

Legislation proposing the permanent adoption or temporary extension of some "beneficial" measures enacted during the pandemic has been published today, including an extension to statutory time limits for criminal proceedings. The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill proposes changes in

Therapy used to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity has been outlawed in France. The country's parliament endorsed a law backed by President Macron's ruling party to bring an end to the practice.

Thorntons is urging other businesses to commit to staff volunteering, saying it adds value to employees’ professional and personal lives. In 2020, the firm signed up to Dundee-based Social Good Connect, looking to help staff feel connected during the challenges of lockdown. Launched by CEO Car

A new sentencing guideline applicable to people under the age of 25 at the date of their guilty plea or when a finding of guilt is made against them has come into effect. Reflecting "compelling" scientific evidence on the development of cognitive maturity, the guideline says that a young person will

Cult classic film Fight Club has been rewritten in China to give it a more censor-friendly ending where law enforcement ultimately wins the day. The original version of the 1999 film, starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, ends with the protagonist failing to foil an anti-consumerist plot to blow up

The Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland (CFoIS) has launched a draft bill to amend the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FoISA).  CFoIS is inviting the public and all MSPs to support the bill and ensure it achieves legislative impact in 2022.

The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have today published a joint report making recommendations for the safe and responsible introduction of self-driving vehicles.  The report recommends introducing a new Automated Vehicles Act, to regulate vehicles that can d

The Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, and Social Justice and Social Security Committee are coming together to hold two special sessions looking at the actions taken to reduce drugs deaths and problem drug use in Scotland. The sessions, w

A Glasgow sheriff has granted the son of a deceased man who was adopted as a baby in 1933 access to his adoption process after ruling that the confidentiality of the application was governed by previous adoption legislation. The applicant, JH, made the application in a bid to learn his birth family

UK universities have attracted a record number of non-EU students applying to study both law and combination courses in the last year, a freedom of information request has revealed. The number of non-EU students applying to study law at UK universities has increased by 238 per cent over the last dec

Scottish Trans has been given permission to intervene in a case seeking to overturn guidance planned for the next Scottish census in March. The group argues that the change to the guidance would breach trans people’s human rights to dignity and privacy. The guidance is provided for those who n

Hundreds of holidaymakers experienced an unexpected end to their trip after their cruise ship changed course to avoid seizure by US authorities. The Crystal Symphony was bound for Miami, Florida but docked at Bimini in the Bahamas after a US judge said the luxury liner could be seized in a dispute o