Opinion

Earlier this week, Buckinghamshire-based businessman Aasim Johar was jailed for seven years for his role in a £3.3m cleaning products fraud at the University of Edinburgh which ran from 2005 until 2015. Johar had been acting together with Geoff Turnbull who, at the time of the offence, was the

For Pride Month 2024 members of Shepherd and Wedderburn’s Pride Network write on this year’s topic of LGBTQ+ inclusion in television. This month, we are given an opportunity to educate ourselves and others; an opportunity to support and uplift a community; an opportunity to observe and p

Alison Woods examines the employment law reform proposals of the main UK parties and discusses what both employees and employers should expect. As the July general election approaches, we are seeing key differences between the main Westminster parties on the issue of employment law reform, which wil

Solicitors should support alternative business structures at the AGM of the Law Society of Scotland on Thursday, writes Brian Inkster. Section 47 to 49 of the Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010 allowed for the creation of licensed legal service providers (commonly referred to as alternative business

In a landmark decision, which adds to the growing global body of climate-based jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has held by a majority that before a developer is allowed to proceed with a project that extracts fossil fuels, it must carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that assesses the

Two recent decisions of the Sheriff Appeal Court provide further guidance on the approach to awarding legal expenses depending on the outcome in potentially fraudulent claims, writes Julie Fisher. In James Nelson v John Lewis Plc, the pursuer was on a nightshift, stacking shelves at Waitrose in Edin

We’re Scotland, so when it comes to major football tournaments we haven’t exactly been clocking up the air miles over the years, writes Robert Holland. However, under the stewardship of Scotland boss Steve Clarke, things have changed for the better. We reached Euro 2020 (actually he

Change is coming to rent reviews for traditional agricultural tenancies. The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill which is at present going through the Scottish Parliament contains proposals to change the law in relation to how rent reviews are to be dealt with, writes Hamish Lean. Currently, rents are revie

Narcissists of minor repute, for whom notoriety is more achievable than fame, have bitten the hand that feeds them in their latest attack – on the UK's book festivals. David J Black adduces evidence of their hypocrisy, among other things. They never seem to bother with the detail or consider t

Spoiler alert, per Viscount Dunedin, in the House of Lords in 1931: trespass to moveables “in a Scottish Lawyer’s mouth is a perfectly unmeaning phrase”, writes Ewan Kennedy. I’m hoping that a case that started in Oban Sheriff Court nearly three years ago will spark the

Formal building contracts are a fundamental part of any construction project, specifying the contractual obligations on all parties, avoiding any ambiguities and the need for third-party interventions that can add to project costs and timescales, writes Ian McCann. The Joint Contracts Tribunal

John Stirling and Conner McConnell conclude their critique of housing legislation currently under consideration at Holyrood. See part one here. In our article “The unaddressed issue in residential tenancies” published in Scottish Legal News last month, we drew attention to a deficiency i

As Taylor Swift prepares to enchant the Murrayfield crowd with her talents this weekend, it is not just her reputation as a music superstar that draws attention, writes Steph Innes. Taylor Swift is a mastermind in safeguarding her empire, through a robust and well-defended intellectual property

A large percentage of law firms continue to ignore the complaints process and in doing so push up costs for everyone, writes Vicky Crichton.

Gillian Mawdsley looks at the inquest into the recent death of lawyer Vanessa Ford and what the profession should learn from the tragic case. Vanessa Ford's death on 23 September 2023 provides, if required, further evidence that legal professionals need to be supported regarding their mental health.