News

The mooted introduction of a US-style system of salaried public defenders in Ireland would be a "complete disaster", lawyers have said. A new programme for government includes a commitment to "independently examine the option of a dedicated system of public defenders".

A recently discovered handwritten copy of Irish revolutionary and barrister Wolfe Tone's famous 1798 speech from the dock is set to be auctioned for up to €70,000 (around £63,400). The written copy of the speech, delivered by Tone before he was sentenced to death for his role in the Irish

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the most senior liberal judge on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), has said she will not retire despite undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer. In a statement, the 87-year-old judge, who has previously been treated for cancer on a number of occasions,

A man sawed his neighbour's garage in half following a dispute over the boundary line between the two properties. Construction worker Gabriel Brawn used a reciprocating saw to destroy half of the structure after a land surveyor confirmed that the garage straddled the boundary line between the two ho

A prisoner serving a life sentence who submitted freedom of information requests for information he believed would help prove his innocence has had a petition for judicial review of the decision not to grant him legal aid refused. William Beggs was refused legal aid to appeal to the UK Supreme

Aberdein Considine has announced the appointment of Nicola Gray as a partner in the firm's employment law team. The move represents Ms Gray's return to the firm where she trained after a seven-year hiatus. She rejoins from Mackinnons, where she previousy led employment services, specialising in the

A sporting silk will be able to combine work and pleasure after being appointed to Scottish Rugby’s discipline panel. Matt Jackson QC was a keen rugby player and still takes great interest in the game.

Wright, Johnson & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) has published a free report to help a variety of industries manage social distancing in their working environments. The firm worked with 4c Engineering, with EU funding via Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to scope out various technologies that can assist w

The Scottish property market has seen a huge demand since the coronavirus lockdown restrictions have been eased, according to property firm ESPC. From 29th June to 14th July 2020 (inclusive), ESPC has seen a 39 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of homes coming to market. Over the same per

The latest edition of the Edinburgh Student Law Review has been published. The first issue of the fourth volume features contributions on a wide range of topics, including the legal basis of capitalism, cyberbullying and sexting, the reformation of jus quaesitum tertio and a case note on G

The Open University is seeking practitioners' views on the Scottish criminal system. Lawyers are invited to complete a questionnaire which will investigate their attitudes to the three-verdict system, simple majority and 15-member jury.

A new Electronic Communications Code judgment is another wolf placed among the yearling sheep as far as mobile phone operators are concerned, writes Michael Upton. The Digital Economy Act 2017 amended the Communications Act 2003, so that from the end of 2017 the new Electronic Communications Code re

In the understandable tsunami of media coverage in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to forget that, as matters stand, the transition period following the UK’s departure from the EU ends in less than six months’ time, writes Bruce Craig. Currently, the EU and the UK have a gl

The data team at Addleshaw Goddard has been offering a series of free webinars over the last couple of months focusing on the data implications arising from COVID-19. All of the webinars are now available to view online. They cover topics including two years on from the GDPR coming into effect, moni

Lawyers have given their backing to campaigners seeking the removal of a courthouse mural depicting three members of the racist Klu Klux Klan (KKK) on horseback. The hooded Klansmen appear in the corner of a large mural painted on the floor of the Baker County Courthouse in Macclenny, Florida, The T