Opinion

Shirley Wyles reminds us of the delayed fire safety regime and its legal aspects. While the catastrophic blaze that ripped through Grenfell Tower in the early hours of 14 June 2017 with the loss of 72 lives is the subject of an ongoing public inquiry, there have already been legislative responses to

Karen Stachura writes about the pros and cons of the virtual court system that has emerged over the past year. “Only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our bas

In the final part of his medico-legal series, David J Black explores how Covid-19 has thrown into relief the maltreatment of ME/CFS victims. The boon to life sciences afforded by the pandemic and the huge sums invested in researching Long Covid have left the psychogenic hypothesis a sinking shi

Where should I put my money? This seems like a simple question, but it is faced by every investor and saver, writes Patrick Christie. The short answer is no one knows. It is simply not possible to predict next year which asset class will perform best. Will it be equities, property, government gilts

The European Commission has published the final version of the new Standard Contractual Clauses (New SCCs). This is an important development for multinational companies, and for any business that engages in international data transfers, writes Scott McGeachy. The New SCCs will be required for transf

In part three of his series on the ME/CFS saga, David J Black examines the durability of medical dogma in the face of facts and the risk of a new psychogenic orthodoxy prevailing with a generation of Long Covid sufferers, whose malady bears a striking resemblance to ME/CFS. See also: parts one and t

David J Black looks at the shameful treatment of ME/CFS sufferers in the second part of his medico-legal series. Read part one here. Before entering the realms of Fraser v NICE one or two other factors have to be considered. The first was the role of the generality of a UK media which was almost ent

Lauren Rae and Ryan McCuaig outline the coming defamation regime and its advantages. The Scottish Parliament recently passed the Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Bill which will introduce the most significant changes to the law of defamation in recent history. The new law has yet to c

David J Black explores the dangers of orthodoxy in the first in a four-part medico-legal series. "Orthodoxy" wrote Bertrand Russell "is the death of intelligence". Before placing this in a medico-legal context with specific reference to the 2009 case Fraser and another v The National Institute of Cl

The UK has imposed its first asset freezes and travel bans under a new sanctions regime targeted at individuals and entities suspected of corruption and bribery overseas, writes Tom Stocker. The first list of those targeted by the 2021 Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations includes 22 individ

The long-awaited relinquishment and assignation procedure in respect of 1991 Act agricultural tenancies came into force on 28 February 2021. Simon Boendermaker explains the details.  Relinquishment

The law of damages for unlawful eviction in Scotland fails victims and does little to deter landlords. It requires urgent reform, write Rebecca Morton, Shaun McPhee and Ben Christman of the Legal Services Agency. Eviction without a court order is both a crime and a civil wrong in Scotland, yet victi

We humans are never lacking in our enthusiasm for crazy ‘investment’ ideas. Around four hundred years ago the Dutch managed to work themselves into a frenzy over tulip bulbs. At the height of the hysteria one bulb of Semper Augustus apparently changed hands in exchange for 12 acres of la

With most of Scotland’s hospitality sector reopened after lockdown, employers will need to consider what impact new ways of working will have on the mental health of the workforce, writes Audrey Ferrie. Employers should be looking to put in place support mechanisms and creating a culture

The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 imposed a temporary halt on the use of statutory demands and winding up petitions where the tenant is unable to pay its bills because of coronavirus. As a result two uniquely Scottish remedies available to landlord creditors have come into the spotlig