News

Thorntons has announced four promotions in Edinburgh and two in Dundee. The three new associates are Joanne Clancy and Lauren Fettes from personal injury in Edinburgh and Neil Falconer from intellectual property in Edinburgh.

Morton Fraser has been appointed to deliver full-service legal representation to Historic Environment Scotland for the next two years, with two possible one year extensions, following a competitive tender. The exclusive contract will see Morton Fraser’s public sector team provide legal advice

Blanket bans on renting properties to people on housing benefit are unlawful and discriminatory, a judge in England has ruled. The case, heard at York County Court, involved a single mother who inquired about renting a two-bedroom property in the city, but was told her application would not be consi

The average daily prison population rose sharply in 2018-19 and 2019-20 despite fewer people being imprisoned, according to statistics published by the chief statistician today. Following several years of steady decline, the average daily population in Scotland’s prisons rose from 7,464 in 201

A man who was manufacturing improvised firearms known as ‘slam guns’ in his garden shed has been jailed for five years. Ricky Taylor’s home in Royston, Glasgow was searched as part of an intelligence-led operation on 14 February 2020.

The UK government has come under pressure from a Westminster committee to set out how it will facilitate "unfettered" trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain under the Brexit deal. In a new report, the Northern Ireland affairs committee said the UK's proposals for implementation of the Nort

Terra Firma is pleased to announce the next in our “2020 Vision” series of webinars: 2020 Vision: Bringing Clarity to Professional Practice in the Time of COVID-19, will be broadcast on Zoom at 11am on Monday 20 July 2020. At this event, chaired by Stephen O’Rourke QC,&nb

A virtual open day to give an insight into life at the Scottish bar has drawn wide praise as “a fantastic experience”. The event was aimed primarily at senior school pupils and university students, to show them what a career at the Faculty of Advocates could be like.

Russian officials have been accused of using "invisible ink" on valuable contracts to facilitate corruption and kickbacks. A councillor in Moscow has uploaded a video to social media which appears to show the key financial details on a housing contract simply disappearing when the paper is held near

A convicted sex offender who was released from prison on licence has failed in his challenge of a condition in his release licence requiring him to inform his supervising officer of any friendships, associations, or intimate or domestic relationships that he enters into with anyone. The petitioner,

Dentons is to close its Aberdeen and Watford offices, with lawyers and staff set to work from home permanently. The firm told The Lawyer, however, that the closures will not result in any redundancies. The Edinburgh and Milton Keynes offices will be available to those staff now working from home per

Lawyers have raised concerns over the permanent implementation of video links for accused persons. A number of custody cases at Aberdeen Sheriff Court see accused persons appear via video link from Kittybrewster Police Station.

Levy & McRae has announced the appointment of Carol Gammie as an associate. Ms Gammie joins the firm after having worked as a legal consultant with the Office of the Prosecutor of the United Nations in The Hague. She is also a commissioner with the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Murray Snell, part of the MacRoberts Group, has appointed Gail Clarke in its estates, forestry, agriculture & renewables team. With over 25 years’ experience, Ms Clarke advises landowners, farmers, developers, communities and commercial clients in respect of land and forestry acquisitions

Homebuyers will be able to take advantage of reduced rates of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) from this week, after Finance Secretary Kate Forbes responded to calls for a quick implementation of the change. The threshold at which LBTT begins to be paid will rise from £145,000 to &pou