News

The detrimental impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown measures imposed on people across Scotland is to be investigated by MSPs. The Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee is gathering views to inform an inquiry into the effects of the virus and the response to it by the Scot

COVID-19 is presenting challenges for the construction sector in many areas, but the marked differences between the approach in Scotland and England is causing significant confusion amongst UK businesses, write Angela Grahame QC and Murdo MacLeod QC. Businesses are already struggling to comply

A consortium of Scottish businesses is to seek judicial review of the Scottish government’s COVID-19 Business Grant Scheme amid increasing concerns that a failure to match Westminster’s economic support will lead to the demise of a string of retail and hospitality chains.

Andre Boyle has been awarded accredited legal technologist status by the Law Society of Scotland. Mr Boyle is head of technology at Millar & Bryce, the property search and information specialists. He becomes the first person from a non-traditional law firm to receive the accreditation in recogni

Macdonald Henderson has advised EHC Energy Limited, the distributor of electric heating and hot water products, on the employee buyout of the company from existing shareholders/directors, Bill Walters and David Stevenson. The transaction was supported by acquisition finance from Clydesdale Bank.

Addleshaw Goddard's Scottish offices have selected Rock Trust as their charity partner for the next two years following a colleague vote. Rock Trust is one of Scotland’s leading youth-specific homelessness charities for 16-25-year-olds. It believes accommodation, support, education and employm

Three alleged IRA members who were convicted of training Colombian rebels in bomb-making have been granted an amnesty. The "Colombia Three" fled to Ireland shortly before they were sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment for training FARC guerillas.

The right to work from home could be enshrined in law in Germany later this year, according to reports. Hubertus Heil, the federal minister for labour and social affairs, told Bild am Sonntag that he would bring forward legislation in autumn.

A couple of months ago, the biggest issues William Grant and Sons general counsel Greg Bargeton had to deal with were enforcing the company’s intellectual property rights and coming up with ways to prepare the business for whatever Brexit might throw at it. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit an

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

Owners of realistic sex dolls have been reminded to dispose of their erstwhile companions properly following a series of mistaken reports of dead bodies. Police in Germany responded to a report of a dead body in a Bavarian village last weekend only to find a remarkably convincing sex doll, The Times

Judges have been urged to abandon the phrase "beyond all reasonable doubt" as it apparently confuses juries. In new guidance for the judiciary they have been advised to tell jurors they should be “satisfied so that they are sure” a defendant is guilty before convicting.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) has provided an update on its work to restore Sheriff Court civil business. In a statement it said that "while a return to business as usual is not viable in the near future, we do believe that with the cooperation of the legal profession we

The Inner House of the Court of Session has allowed an appeal on how affordable housing units subject to ‘golden share’ provisions ought to be valued for council tax purposes. The Assessor for Lothian Valuation Joint Board appealed a decision of the Lothian Valuation Appea

New legislation to give greater protection for victims of hate crime has been introduced at Holyrood. The Hate Crime Bill seeks to modernise, consolidate and extend existing hate crime law. Alongside the legislation being introduced, a working group will take forward work on a standalone offence of