Opinion

Carole Ewart comments on the much-derided move by the Scottish government to extend FOI response times in the midst of the pandemic – a move that has since been reversed. On April 1, politicians voted to change freedom of information (FOI) law in Scotland. Thankfully, seven weeks later, a unit

From 8 June 2020, anyone entering the UK (whether as a resident or a visitor) will have to self-isolate for 14 days under new government rules. Elaine McIlroy details the latest rules and how they affect employers. Please note that the rules are reviewed every three weeks. Requirement to provid

Michael Reid, managing partner at Aberdeen-based Meston Reid & Co, discusses the suspension of wrongful trading. When the temporary suspension of wrongful trading rules for company directors was announced, the UK government commented that it was designed to help business owners combat the f

Benjamin Bestgen discusses law in utopian fiction. See his last jurisprudential primer here. Dystopian fiction has enjoyed significant popularity again in recent years: Day of the Oprichnik or Hunger Games followed the footsteps of classics like The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984, The Dispossessed, Dar

A change in the immigration guidance issued by the Home Office is likely to make it much harder for many EU citizens in the UK to become British citizens. Prior to that change, an EU citizen who had acquired “Settled Status”, which gives them “indefinite leave to remain”, cou

Stuart McWilliams details the immigration implications for businesses restructuring during the pandemic. The economic consequences we are experiencing because of the coronavirus crisis are clear. Many businesses are closed, while others are trying to reduce costs as they cope with a loss of income.

Blackadders' Donna Reynolds details the trials and tribulations of life on lockdown.  Monday: Keeping up appearances

The recent decision of the Inner House in Proven Properties (Scotland) Limited, reported in Scottish Legal News on 14 May, raises questions about the effectiveness, or at least the scope, of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, writes Tom Marshall. Briefly, the case concerned a block of 15 flat

At the end of 2017 the new Electronic Communications Code (enacted by the Digital Economy Act 2017, amending the Communications Act 2003) replaced the old 1984 Telecommunications Code. After two-and-a-half years, the new code is producing a steady flow of decisions, throwing some much-needed light o

Rachel Walker, solicitor and associate at the Legal Services Agency, discusses the provisions for vulnerable adults in the coronavirus legislation. The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 7 April 2020. This legislation has received significant attention in the Scottish

Benjamin Bestgen considers judges and politics (click here to view his last jurisprudential primer). See also SLN's review of Lord Sumption's book dealing with the same theme. In April 2020, Polish Supreme Court President Malgorzata Gersdorf retired. She noted that she had been unable to stop contes

Roddy Cormack explores the role of designers in the return to operations for the construction industry in the midst of the pandemic. It’s important to remember the responsibilities for ensuring a safe and healthy construction site don’t rest solely with the contractors. Under the Co

James Hamilton, writing for the WS Society, explores how enlightenment values helped Edinburgh defeat the twin scourges of typhoid and cholera. They didn’t speak of it, so we do not know what the builders of the Edinburgh New Town thought would have become of their city a century later. Abando

Douglas Mill looks at the handling of the current crisis and its likely outcomes for the profession. I'll save you googling it. It was Daniel Defoe in 1772 writing about London in 1665. And here's another quote for you: "The people did not flee the city. Some shut themselves inside their homes, thin

Karyn McCluskey explains why the status quo on prison numbers cannot continue. The words you use matter. To give a random example, If I tell you to "stay alert" you might be a bit confused as to what you’re being asked to do. You might not necessarily assume I mean “stay at home as much