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Regulators, government and Parliament must do more to ensure joined-up and effective regulation of the rapidly changing digital world, a new House of Lords report says. Systems are not rigorous or accountable enough to address regulatory gaps and overlaps, according to the House of Lords Communicati

On 29 November 2021, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced its provisional intent to impose a potential fine of just over £17 million on Clearview AI Inc, a facial recognition company, writes Kevin McDade. In addition, the ICO has issued a provisional notice to st

A consultation seeking views on Scotland’s 'not proven' verdict and related reforms has opened. The consultation on Scotland’s unique three-verdict system will gather opinions from the public, as well as the legal sector, third sector, and those with direct experience of the justice syst

James McMillan, director at law firm Anderson Strathern, warns that Scotland has become an international hotspot for financial crime. In the UK context when you think about white-collar crime over the last couple of decades, names like Barings Bank, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCC

Ethnic minority applicants to the bench are less likely to succeed than their white counterparts, according to official figures, The Times reports. Sitting judges called on the equalities watchdog to investigate the “discriminatory, unfair and unlawful” judicial appointment system earlie

Jenny Dickson, chair of Morton Fraser, has called on the business community to focus on children’s mental health in 2022 after joining specialist charity Place2Be as a strategic advisor. Ms Dickson joins Place2Be’s Scottish Development Advisory Group at a time when demand for mental heal

A court has ruled that a 39-year-old unemployed woman is not entitled to financial support from her retired father. The woman lives in Rome with her mother, who sought €900 per month in alimony from her husband, who separated from her and moved out of the family home in 2013.

If nothing else is proved, Giuffre v Prince Andrew, Duke of York will at least have shown the public’s fascination with the private lives of royalty, writes Andrew Stevenson. This is not new. It is 200 years since the death of Queen Caroline. Born in the German principality of Brunswick, Carol

An Edinburgh sheriff has refused to order the extradition of a Polish man who was wanted in Poland to serve a six-month custodial sentence for mercantile fraud on the ground that there would be a disproportionate effect on his family if he did so. Extradition proceedings were raised against RM by th

Commercial law firm MacRoberts has announced the appointment of Jonathan Gaskell as a partner and Rod Hutchison as a legal director. Mr Gaskell is an experienced construction lawyer specialising predominantly in transactional matters. His work involves all aspects of non-contentious work, from initi

Edinburgh commercial litigation solicitor Sheila Webster has been confirmed as the Law Society of Scotland’s 2023-24 president elect. Ms Webster will assume her new role in May 2022, succeeding current vice president Murray Etherington when he takes up the reins from current president of the L

Aberdeen-based Mackinnons Solicitors LLP has announced nine new appointments across its property, private client and dispute resolution teams. Pamela Bursill, Gregor Sim, Laura Totten and Jackie Cocker have joined the property team.

The Scottish Young Lawyers' Association (SYLA) has launched a survey of members to help inform its response to the Scottish government's consultation on reforming legal services. The consultation will close on Christmas Eve, so the association is seeking submissions from members no later than 20 Dec

Mathematician and architect of the Tesco Clubcard, Clive Humby, is said to have coined the phrase “Data is the new oil” back in 2006, and this sentiment was echoed in a later Economist report titled: “The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data”. Launc

Perth-based McCash & Hunter LLP has announced the promotion of Susan Scott from senior associate to partner with effect from 1 January 2022. Ms Scott, who deals with private client work, began her career with McCash & Hunter in 2005 and rejoined the firm in 2018 after a period in Inverness.