News

The financial challenges facing the agricultural sector are no secret. But a legal change is opening opportunities which should help landowners and farmers modernise, diversify and create a healthier financial future, writes Susan Law. Clients are coming forward with exciting proposals to take advan

A police officer who sent sexually explicit messages to crime victims he met while on duty has been jailed. David Taylor admitted three charges of sending indecent communications and one charge of stalking at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last month.

Virtual team walks from John O’Groats to Lands’ End, step challenges, online bake sales and through the keyhole competitions have been just a few of the virtual fundraising efforts of Law Society staff throughout the pandemic, raising money for their charity partner of the year, Camphill

Blood donors will be rewarded with Christmas trees under a novel scheme in Poland. The national forestry service's "Christmas Tree for Life" campaign will see anyone who donates blood, platelets or plasma tomorrow given a free fir tree.

An appeal by the Secretary of State for the Home Department against an Upper Tribunal decision to reduce a decision not to grant leave to remain to a Pakistani man who applied as the parent of children by two different mothers has had his appeal has been refused by the English Court of Appeal. Dr Wa

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC has claimed that juryless trials "don’t impact on the right to a fair trial". In an interview with Holyrood magazine, Ms Bain said that "we need to look at the suitability of a jury to prosecute a case".

Responding to the launch of the Scottish government’s consultation on Scotland’s three verdicts, the Law Society of Scotland has said that the fundamental principles of Scots criminal law must be maintained in any future considerations for change. Debbie Wilson, convener of the Law Socie

The UK government will compensate former Post Office workers who were wrongly convicted of theft in the Horizon saga. The disgraced Post Office said it is unable to cover the payments for the exonerated individuals.

Susanne Tanner QC has been commissioned by the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC as assistant principal crown counsel. Ms Tanner, whose appointment has been planned for some time, called to the Scottish bar in 2000 and took silk in 2016. From 2019 to 2021, she held the office of director of Ampersand Ad

The mausoleum of the institutional writer Sir George Mackenzie, who became lord advocate 1677, has allegedly been violated by a tomb raider. Known as Bluidy Mackenzie for his treatment of the Covenanters he is famous nowadays for haunting the kirkyard at Greyfriars in Edinburgh, filling visitors wit

Tony Graham QC, stable director at Optimum Advocates in Glasgow, has been elected as the new chairman of Faculty Services Limited (FSL). FSL is the service company established by the Faculty of Advocates to provide administrative and support services to advocates.

NatWest has been fined £264.8 million following convictions for three offences of failing to comply with money laundering regulations. Mrs Justice Cockerill, the sentencing judge at Southwark Crown Court, said yesterday: “...it must be borne in mind that although in no way complicit in t

Edinburgh Council does not have a universally positive, open, safe and supportive whistleblowing and organisational culture, according to a report by Susanne Tanner QC. The report into the Review of the Whistleblowing and Organisational Culture of the City of Edinburgh Council was com

Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Appeal Court Rules) 2021/468 This Act of Sederunt consolidates and restates the Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Appeal Court Rules) 2015/356 with modifications. It makes provision about the procedure to be followed in appeals to the Sheriff Appeal Court in civil proceedings. The ru

Victims and survivors of the 1975 Miami Showband killings will receive close to £1.5 million in damages following a settlement with the Ministry of Defence and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Three members of The Miami Showband – Fran O'Toole, Brian McCoy and Tony Geraghty &ndash