Coronavirus

The UK government has named the 10 sites which will host so-called "Nightingale courts" to alleviate the pressure on courts and tribunals resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The sites including Middlesbrough Town Hall, the Knights’ Chamber within the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral, and th

Wright, Johnson & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) has published a free report to help a variety of industries manage social distancing in their working environments. The firm worked with 4c Engineering, with EU funding via Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to scope out various technologies that can assist w

The Scottish property market has seen a huge demand since the coronavirus lockdown restrictions have been eased, according to property firm ESPC. From 29th June to 14th July 2020 (inclusive), ESPC has seen a 39 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of homes coming to market. Over the same per

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has published a new briefing on care homes and human rights during the pandemic. The briefing sets out the human rights framework as it applies to the issues that have arisen in care homes, and details the requirements of human rights law to ensure effective inve

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.

There have been recent changes to the rules on travel to the UK and to the EU arising out of COVID-19. So, what are the key things employers need to know in relation to business visits and travel arrangements involving their staff? Elaine McIlroy explains. Travel restrictions: England

Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle's recommendation that virtual courts for summary criminal cases become the default has been described as "absolutely atrocious". In his report, Summary Criminal Virtual Trial Pilot: The Way Ahead, he states: “As a pillar in the effective administration of justice,

Charities may have to merge to survive the cash crisis caused by the pandemic, a lawyer has said. Alastair Keatinge, partner and head of charities at Lindsays, said the Scottish government must play a key role in reforming the third sector.

Terra Firma's Jon Kiddie has considered the essentials of remote hearings in a new article, particularly in relation to civil proceedings, from where we were pre-pandemic to the current situation where remote hearings have become the new norm. "This article represents its author’s attempt to m

Edinburgh Law School's Professor Jo Shaw has presented her new book, The People in Question: Citizens and Constitutions in Uncertain Times, at a virtual book launch. Professor Shaw has also produced an essay which updates the book to take into consideration the current crisis – The pandemic an

Tech companies operating in the renewable energy sector could cause decades of damage to their market position if they fail to secure their IP rights now, an expert has warned. Patent attorney Daniel Sizer, a senior associate at Marks & Clerk, said the coronavirus pandemic has put huge financial

The Scottish housing market is set to open today as the country enters phase two of the Scottish government’s route map out of the coronavirus crisis. Cameron Ewer, head of Savills Residential in Scotland said it was important to note that "sales activity hasn’t stood still during lockdo

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is set to speed up the global transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, according to a leading industry legal expert. Norman Wisely, the Aberdeen managing partner at CMS, says many of the forthcoming post-pandemic economic stimulus packages about to b

New Nightingale-style courts will be opened to deal with the backlog of more than half a million criminal cases that have built up during the pandemic, The Times reports. Ten sites have been identified by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), amongst them town halls and university lecture theatres, wh

Robert More makes some worrying predictions about legally aided criminal defence work in the wake of the lockdown. The Scottish government has recently released the response to its consultation on legal aid reform. The consultation was commissioned in light of the Independent Strategic Review by Mar