Opinion

Roger Connon extols the benefits of remote working as it looks set to become the new norm. Remote working has come of age during the COVID-19 crisis and it will have a lasting impact on the way in which oil and gas lawyers conduct business. The pandemic has undoubtedly altered the mindset of corpora

Frances Sim contrasts the opt-in and opt-out approaches to group proceedings. Class actions have been generating interest recently due to several high-profile actions, such as the ongoing emissions case brought against the Volkswagen Group. A decision is now eagerly awaited in Mastercard’s app

Alan McIntosh explains why it is "vital" that the amendments proposed by Jackie Baillie MSP to the latest coronavirus bill are implemented. The role of the Scottish government in this crisis is to protect its citizens, and as we move through this COVID-19 crisis and diverge from the rest of the

Lockdown has created domestic tensions of many kinds in the home, for those in all different kinds of relationships, writes Lynne Mulcahy. Family lawyers are concerned about a number of adverse effects of the current crisis and the impact on clients (and others), who might be experiencing relat

Administrative law expert Paul Daly explores the Supreme Court's judgment in R v Adams. On two occasions in the 1970s, Gerry Adams, allegedly a leading member of the Irish Republican Army at the time and later a prominent Sinn Féin politician, was convicted of attempting to escape from lawful

Andrew Phillips explores the potential abuses of the furlough scheme.  In their recent COVID-19 update, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) sought to assure us that they will continue to investigate suspected fraud, bribery and corruption, adapting ways of working where necessary to adhere to govern

Benjamin Bestgen looks at why you might breathe a sigh of relief knowing his lordship has had breakfast. See his last jurisprudential primer here. Legal television like My Cousin Vinny, Silk or The Good Wife is sometimes used to exemplify courtroom dos and don’ts – the first one having r

Karen Dance looks at certain law reforms in the context of the latest personal injury court statistics. From 27 April 2020, Scottish solicitors have been able to enter into agreements with their clients in all personal injury claims to take a percentage share of damages as a fee for success. The leg

Alison Edmondson looks at the issue of credibility and reliability of witnesses over Zoom. As my recent blogging history reveals I’m currently vexed by the question of whether family cases requiring evidence from witnesses should go ahead remotely. If we don’t have evidentiary heari

Benjamin Bestgen explores trust and trustworthiness in his latest jurisprudential primer. See his last post here. Literature and movies are full of stories that have, either at their core or as a necessary ingredient, the topic of trust and trustworthiness. Recently, Marriage Story (2019) dealt with

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic which has temporarily halted normality, one pillar of Scottish society has never been far away from the headlines, writes Bryan O'Donnell. Arrigo Sacchi once proclaimed: “Football is the most important of the least important things in life”. He has cl

Criminal barrister Joanna Hardy shares her experience of remote courts in England. “I haven’t met the defendant, Your Honour,” I tell a screen in my kitchen. Silence. “Can… can you hear me?” My words echo through the judge’s laptop in a courtroom three mile

To mark Star Wars Day, Simon Allison takes Yoda to task over his poor management skills.

Garry Sturrock separates fact from fiction when it comes to surrogacy. Those who watched BBC One’s recent four-part drama, The Nest, will no doubt agree that it made for fantastically gripping viewing. The implausible plot centred around a well-heeled, Glasgow-based couple desperate to start a

In his latest jurisprudential primer, Benjamin Bestgen explains why there is more to the concept of 'hard work' than meets the eye. See his last post here. The legal profession and many others are notorious for being associated with stressful work, tight deadlines and demanding unsociable, even unhe