News

A Scottish man who is the subject of an extradition request by the US government has failed in his challenge of a sheriff’s decision to grant permission for the extradition to go ahead. James Craig was accused of an offence relating to securities fraud which caused losses of $1.6 million

The Law Society of Scotland has written to the six Scottish universities providing the diploma in professional legal practice to remind them of the importance of acting responsibly and considering likely demand for legal trainees next summer when setting course numbers as it emerged that there have

The volume of trials scheduled in Scotland has risen by 14 per cent in a year.

A Scots lawyer who lied to a former world champion boxer about his chances of a successful appeal while he was in prison has been struck off. Steven Lilly was sacked from his job after former featherweight champion Scott Harrison, 42, (referred to as "Mr A") lodged a complaint.

A Holyrood committee has called on the Scottish government to set out the steps it is taking to ensure women and children at increased risk of domestic abuse during lockdown have access to the support services they need to escape violence. In a letter to the minister for older people and equalities,

The creation of a new, unified tribunal empowered to look at a full range of remedies under mental health law would enable individuals’ cases to be dealt with in a prompt, holistic and person-centred way. The Law Society of Scotland has called for an approach that would promote robust protecti

Lord Burrows has been sworn in as a Supreme Court justice in a small ceremony in the court’s library. He recited the judicial oath in front of the court's president, Lord Reed. All the other justices tuned in to the session remotely.

Richard McMeeken details new proposals to deal with the contract law implications of the current crisis. Following a meeting on 7 April 2020 of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law attended by (among others) Lord Neuberger, Lord Phillips, Sir David Edward and Sir William Blair

A barrister has been fined £1,000 for making faces at a judge and criticising one of her decisions as "insane". A finding from the Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service stated that, over a three-month period in 2016, Marguerite Russell, who called in 1972, behaved in a "rude and unprofessio

A hijab-wearing Muslim woman has been appointed as a deputy district judge in a UK first. Nottingham barrister Raffia Arshad, 40, will begin sitting part-time on the Midland Circuit later this year while continuing to practise from St. Mary's Chambers.

Pinsent Masons has rolled out the Mindful Business Charter across its Scottish offices as it ramps up efforts eradicate negative working practices that can negatively affect mental health and wellbeing. The Mindful Business Charter, devised by Pinsent Masons, Barclays and Addleshaw Goddard, has brou

The Access to Justice Foundation has announced the appointment of Laurence Harris as chairman of its board of trustees. He will take over from out-going chair, Lord Goldsmith QC, who will step down at the end of 2020 after 12 years. Mr Harris is currently a partner at international law firm Cooley L

Divorces have risen sharply in Saudi Arabia during the coronavirus pandemic, apparently driven by women discovering that their husbands are secret polygamists. A record 7,482 divorces were carried out in February, a 30 per cent year-on-year increase, with local lawyers crediting restrictions on move

A man who was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman has had his appeal against conviction refused by the Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary. Gavin Macdonald argued that the trial sheriff’s use of the word “victim” to describe the

The attorney general for England and Wales has been accused of undermining the "impartiality of her role and the rule of law" for defending Dominic Cummings on Twitter after it was revealed he had apparently breached the lockdown rules. Mr Cummings has said he acted reasonably – and legal