News

Most drugs are not inherently dangerous when used casually and drug interventions that are punitive and reinforce criminal identity are ineffective, according to a new paper. In a report for the Scottish government that looks at the drugs laws of five countries, it was found that the hierarchy of ha

Liberal Democrat Peer Sir Ming Campbell QC has suggested that the Crown Office should be headed by someone similar to the director of public prosecutions in England and Wales, following a survey by Scottish Legal News on the dual role of the Lord Advocate. Sir Ming told The Herald on Sunday that it

BTO has appointed Gregor Mitchell as head of its private client team based in Edinburgh to further enhance the firm’s legal services provided to individuals. A recognised expert in private client law, he brings over 30 years of experience advising individuals in relation to wills, trusts, esta

Judges will be allowed to remain on the bench until the age of 75 in a move to address the recruitment crisis in the judiciary. Ministers are to raise the mandatory retirement age as concern grows over the refusenik trend at the bar and ebbing morale amongst judges. A recent survey found many were c

Harper Macleod successfully defended a client at the East London Employment Tribunal in an unfair dismissal claim brought by an ex-employee who was dismissed for gross misconduct for refusing to wear a mask on a supplier's site as part of Covid-19 health and safety rules. This has been reported as t

Mergers are often a topic that charity trustees would rather avoid. Yet it’s one that some in Scotland are now considering as they look to a future shaped by the legacy of Covid-19, writes Alastair Keatinge. As we close in on the first anniversary of Lockdown One, only now are we starting

The UK government has ordered a review of the exemption of domestic workers from minimum wage legislation following an Employment Tribunal ruling. A tribunal ruled in December that the exemption is discriminatory against women, who are far more likely to be employed as live-in domestic workers than

Extra funding to services supporting victims of crime and to improve public understanding of stalking offences has been announced by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf. The £137,000 funding, made up of one-off grants, includes funding to cover additional costs incurred during the Covid-19 lockdown

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of our sister publication Scottish Housing News. From a handful of subscribers in 2001, it has grown to become an essential part of the working day for Scotland’s dynamic social housing sector, sharing uplifting stories of best practic

A convicted robber who absconded from prison was caught by police when he came out of hiding to buy the latest Call of Duty video game. Clint Butler, 36, fled HMP Spring Hill in south-east England last November while serving a 17-year extended sentence for crimes including robbery and firearms offen

A man who was imprisoned for carrying a stun gun disguised as a mobile phone has been successful in challenging the length of his sentence in the Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary. Ronald McMahon, aged 57, pled guilty to an offence under section 5(1A)(a) of the Firearms Act 1968

Lady Justice Rose will join the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on 13 April, it has been announced. Her Majesty The Queen made the appointment on the advice of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following the recommendations of an independent selection commission.

The role of Lord Advocate should be split so that his political and prosecutorial functions are entirely separate, the vast majority of respondents to a Scottish Legal News survey have said.

Farmworkers from Kenya are suing one of the world's biggest tea producers for damages in Scotland. The tea pickers allege they suffered severe health problems as a result of working on farms operated by James Finlay Kenya Ltd.

Dear Editor, Alan Adam objects to your publishing an article by Douglas Cusine about the legal mechanisms for handling complaints about MSPs and ministers because it criticises “individuals of only one political persuasion”. But the lid of your tin says “Legal News” and nothi