Opinion

Dr John Macleod of Edinburgh Law School examines inaccuracy and the offside goals rule in light of a recent case in the Outer House. BAM TCP Atlantic Square Limited v BT plc [2020] CSOH 57 presents something approaching a full house of recent hot topics in conveyancing: interpretation of a deed of c

In part two of his primer on lie-detection, Benjamin Bestgen tells us what actually works. See part one here. Psychologist Aldert Vrij, a specialist on lies and deceit, identifies viable lie detection options which do not involve technology, torture or chemicals. Looking at lying clinically, he find

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

Stephen McGowan comments on the latest lockdown updates for the hospitality industry. Thursday 2 July 2020 brought a number of announcements of real interest and importance to the Scottish hospitality industry, and three stand out. First, confirmation that outdoor hospitality spaces such as bee

Nicola Buchanan explains the details of the civil partnership regime in Scotland. “Marriage is not everybody’s cup of tea. For some, it represents religious or patriarchal baggage that many rail against.” This was one of the ways the deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament&

A recent study conducted on behalf of the Legal Services Agency seeks to examine the valuation of compensation awards in the two years following the introduction of the Letting Agent Code of Practice. LSA volunteers and Glasgow School of Law graduates Alice Dalkin, Caitlin Perring&nbs

The long-awaited Supreme Court judgment in Villiers v Villiers [2020] UKSC 30 has been handed down this morning. SKO's Rachael Kelsey has acted for the successful respondent, Mrs Villiers, since 2014 and gives a short summary of the 74-page decision. What was it about?

Benjamin Bestgen gives us the truth about methods of lie detection. See his last jurisprudential primer here. Last month, I sketched out some definition problems we encounter when considering what a lie is. I also noted that humans are bad lie detectors. Research tells us that even supposed experts

Sean White was an instructing solicitor in one of the first virtual appeal hearings before the Inner House of the Court of Session and in the first virtual Court of Session commercial proof. Here he discusses his experiences of the virtual courtroom so far. The Inner House hearing

The introduction of Phase 2 of Scotland's exit from the crisis was welcomed by many. A notable exception, however, was a large number of hospitality businesses, who had been gearing up to re-open outdoor spaces and start to welcome customers back, says Stephen McGowan. Those hopes were dashed when F

The WAG wars continue as Rebekah Vardy files an action for defamation in the High Court of England & Wales against Colleen Rooney, but how would her action fare in Scotland? Scott Clair tells all. Celebrity watchers took a sharp intake of breath last October in what has been described by some pu

Stuart Munro of Livingstone Brown Solicitors responds to SLN's editorial on fatal accident inquiries held remotely. The delays involved in fatal accident inquiries are, in many cases, disgraceful. Bereaved families can struggle to move on with their lives while the circumstances of their loved one&r

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

Professor Hector MacQueen marshals the evidence for “equitable adjustment” of contracts in Scots law. In Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland v Lloyds Banking Group plc [2013] UKSC 3, 2013 SC (UKSC) 169, Lord Hope of Craighead uttered the following obiter dictum:

In many ways Usman Tariq’s family history reads like a classic immigrant narrative. His grandfather came from Pakistan to Scotland in search of a better life; his father left school early to enter the world of work; Mr Tariq and his two sisters were enabled and encouraged to grab every educati