News

Following the introduction of emergency measures under the newly passed Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020, including those which affect both landlords and tenants and the management of their business premises during lockdown, Anderson Strathern’s Business Hub is giving a practical explanation of

Several students of Edinburgh Law School have been accepted to the 2020 cohort of the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), which supports “students who are committed to take action and address the world’s most pressing challenges”.

A man has been charged after hosting a Pink Floyd tribute concert outside his home in violation of a ban on social gatherings. John Maldjian, 54, was charged with various offences after police in Rumson, New Jersey, received a call about a group of 30 people, aged from around 40 to 50 – possib

A man convicted of a number of sexual offences has had his appeal against conviction refused but succeeded in having his sentence reduced due to his significantly low intelligence. The appellant, PGT, was convicted of three charges in May 2019. He sought to have them quashed on account of a lack of

The Lord Advocate has reiterated the Crown's commitment that any reported person who deliberately coughs or spits at police officers or other front-line workers during the coronavirus emergency will be dealt with robustly by Scotland's prosecution service. James Wolffe QC has said placing at ri

A company established by a Scottish solicitor, delivering quick and affordable online wills in clients' own homes, has recorded meteoric growth since the coronavirus lockdown with an upsurge among women and health professionals. Lawyer Bruce de Wert set up www.MyScottishWill.co.uk in the year 2000 a

Pinsent Masons has promoted one Scotland-based lawyer to partner and two senior associates to legal director. The latest round of promotions saw the firm welcome 17 new partners across the globe, including Edinburgh-based Kathryn Wynn, who is a specialist in data protection with a focus on the finan

Rural law specialist Gary Webster has joined Ledingham Chalmers in Inverness. Expanding its geographical reach for this discipline into Moray and the north of Scotland, Mr Webster joined as partner from another legal practice in the city today.

Emily Wiewiorka is returning to private practice as a consultant with Bellwether Green. The well-regarded commercial contracts, IP and data lawyer left private practice to take up an in-house position with global mobile smartphone company a number of years ago.

Herbert Kerrigan QC has suggested that proposals for non-jury trials in solemn cases be rejected. Last week the Scottish government had sought to pass legislation that would remove juries from solemn trials for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Irish criminal barristers are to receive legal aid payments for adjourned cases during the coronavirus lockdown and "refresher fees" when trials resume. The Department of Justice confirmed in response to representations from The Bar of Ireland that brief fees will be paid now in respect of defendant

In the first quarter of 2020, the volume of residential property sales in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders fell by 9.2 per cent. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and resultant social distancing measures, the decline in sales volume was concentrated in the last two weeks of March. The number

The independent regulator of social housing in Scotland has been taken to task by a Holyrood committee following allegations of bullying and improper governance reported by our sister publication, Scottish Housing News. MSPs have given the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) one month to respond t

Janet McIntyre and Gary Thomas summarise the details of emergency legislation introduced in Scotland to prevent the eviction of commercial tenants who are unable to pay their rent because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Irritancy is a remedy for landlords to terminate a lease early when tenants are in bre

A Scandinavian-style sanctuary house for children who have been victims or witnesses of crime is set to open in Scotland next year – the first of its kind in the UK. The Child’s House for Healing will be based on the Barnahus model, first developed in Iceland, and will provide a safe pla