Kenny MacAskill has said the Scottish government must “come clean” over whether it was allowing prosecutors and women's groups to lay the ground for radical reform of the justice system as senior legal figures continue to insist on juryless trials. Mr MacAskill wrote to Justice Secretary
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James Wolffe QC will be rejoining Brick Court Chambers in London – where he was a door tenant between 2013-16 – as a door tenant in the New Year. Before his appointment as lord advocate, Mr Wolffe had a substantial and wide-ranging public and commercial law practice at the Scottish bar.
Chris Mackay reveals whether courts can be used to recover documents relating to adjudication. Can you use the courts to recover documents from another party for the purposes of adjudication in Scotland?
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has written to the UK government objecting to “ill-judged and irresponsible” plans to revise and replace the Human Rights Act. In a letter to Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab, Mr Swinney described the proposals as an unacceptable attack on human rights, con
The divorce settlement that the ruler of Dubai has been ordered to make with his wife is the highest ever in an English court – standing at £554 million. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, 72, posed a serious risk to his former wife Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, 47, who fled to Lond
Glasgow lawyers Just Employment Law have raised an incredible £73,140 in an online auction held in November for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (PCAM). The auction raised vital funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland (PCAS), of whom Just Employment Law are long-term supporters.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said his government will keep its controversial immigration laws, in defiance of an EU ruling. The Court of Justice of the European Union last month ruled that Hungary's law criminalising lawyers and activists who helped asylum seekers fell foul of EU law.
A barrister who claimed his colleagues had targeted him over farts he couldn't stop has lost his lawsuit against the English prosecution service. Tarique Mohammed, who worked for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), told an employment tribunal that he couldn't stop farting because of his heart medic
A judge in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has ruled that jurors who were not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 ought to be excused from jury service after the issue was raised during pre-trial proceedings. The trial took place at the Digby Pines Resort in Nova Scotia, Canada, as the local courthou
A sharp fall in legal aid spending highlights the crisis across the sector. Commenting on the fall in legal aid spending from £130.9 million in 2020 to £99.1m in 2020-21, following publication of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s annual report, the Law Society of Scotland has said the
Options within a Scottish government consultation on reforming the regulation of Scotland’s legal sector could leave consumers facing higher legal bills, the Law Society of Scotland has said. The society is urging major reforms to the way legal services are regulated, but has cautioned against
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has again supported reform of legal services regulation in its submission to the Scottish government’s consultation on the issue. Neil Stevenson, SLCC chief executive, said: “When the minister responded to the Roberton review’s r
The Scottish government will introduce a new register of land ownership in April 2022 but awareness of its purpose, detail and implications among existing owners of land and property appears to be low. As those failing to comply with the new regulations will face criminal sanctions punishable by a f
Blackadders has posted its accounts for the year to 31 March 2021, with profits of £4.6 million and turnover of £13.1m. Managing partner, Johnston Clark, said: “Our disaster recovery plan which had been carefully prepared was very effective and we were able to maintain client servi
Plans to deliver a new deal for tenants, with stronger rights, greater protections against eviction and access to more affordable housing have been launched. The proposals, which are open to public consultation, aim to deliver a fairer rented sector. They include:
