The Insolvency Service has announced plans to play a more prominent role in the fight against economic crime and be recognised as the UK’s leading authority in enforcing corporate and insolvency standards. Its new strategy commits the agency to broadening its remit, taking "robust" action agai
Appointments
See all articlesIrwin Mitchell has welcomed associate Claire Paterson to its medical negligence team in Scotland. Ms Paterson – who is recognised in Chambers & Partners for her “forward thinking and innovative approach” to litigation – has a proven track record in helping families with c
Thompsons Solicitors Scotland has announced the appointment of Kris Kane to its solicitor advocate team. Mr Kane joins Thompsons with a strong background in civil litigation and dispute resolution, having represented clients in a wide range of complex matters across Scotland.
The Law Society of Scotland has granted extended rights of audience to five new solicitor advocates in a ceremony held yesterday. At the Court of Session, Law Society president Patricia Thom invited Lord Richardson to administer the declaration of allegiance.
Law lecturer Dr Samuel White has been appointed as chair of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) board of trustees. The appointment comes as NYOS prepares for its first international tour in a decade, with its flagship orchestra scheduled to perform at venues across the UK and at the Ber
ScottishPower's top lawyer, Marion Venman, has been appointed to the Glasgow School of Art's board of governors. Ms Venman was one of four new members welcomed to the board of governors last month, alongside Dr Catriona Campbell MBE, Sarah Lavers and Jane Morrison-Ross.
Thorntons has announced 23 promotions, naming four new legal directors, seven new associates and 12 new senior solicitors.
Legal Aid
See all articlesDefence solicitors in Dundee are stepping up industrial action after what they described as “fruitless” talks with the Scottish government over criminal legal aid funding. Members of the Dundee Bar Association (DBA) have voted to withdraw from a scheme operating at Dundee Sheriff Court t
The number of solicitors registered to provide legal aid in Scotland has fallen by more than 12 per cent in just three years, according to new figures. As of 26 May, there were 1,122 solicitors registered to provide criminal and children’s legal aid, while 450 firms were registered for civil l
A survey of Scottish legal aid solicitors has revealed further evidence of a deepening crisis in access to justice, with 41 per cent of respondents either planning to stop legal aid work within two years or unsure whether they will continue. The findings come from a Law Society of Scotland survey of
Scotland’s criminal defence solicitors are to withdraw from a new flagship summary justice scheme in protest at the Scottish government’s failure to increase legal aid rates. The Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA) has confirmed that its members will no longer participate in imple
Solicitors employed on the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s emergency helpline have backed strike action over changes to shift patterns, The Scotsman reports. Sixteen solicitors working on the Solicitor Contact Line voted for industrial action following complaints that management had imposed 12-hour
Universities
See all articlesLaw lecturer Dr Samuel White has been appointed as chair of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) board of trustees. The appointment comes as NYOS prepares for its first international tour in a decade, with its flagship orchestra scheduled to perform at venues across the UK and at the Ber
ScottishPower's top lawyer, Marion Venman, has been appointed to the Glasgow School of Art's board of governors. Ms Venman was one of four new members welcomed to the board of governors last month, alongside Dr Catriona Campbell MBE, Sarah Lavers and Jane Morrison-Ross.
Renewable energy practitioners, academics and policy-makers gathered at the University of Aberdeen for an event focused on advancing community-led energy initiatives in the region. Community Renewables in the North East of Scotland: Looking Back, Moving Forward, held on 27 June, explored how communi
Former Irish president Mary Robinson has been awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by the University of Strathclyde. Mrs Robinson received the honour during Strathclyde Law School’s summer graduation ceremony, in recognition of her lifetime commitment to defending the rights of marginalised c
Gaining a diploma in legal practice has required true grit and determination for Abbie Coull, who has battled a brain tumour and radiotherapy in her journey to becoming a trainee solicitor. When Abbie commenced her studies in 2020, she thought her biggest challenge would be adapting to online and so
And Finally
See all articlesA bumbling group of drug dealers who allegedly plotted to deliberately get arrested in order to benefit from bail conditions have been foiled. Singaporean police believe that the group of five Chinese nationals deliberately got caught offering bribes to officials in order to prolong their stay in th
Florida's attorney general has embraced a baseless conspiracy theory that deadly flooding in Texas was caused by deliberate "weather modification". James Uthmeier is the latest in a growing list of Republican officials alleging that "cloud seeding" and "chemtrails" are responsible for extreme weathe
A woman who allegedly seduced and then blackmailed Buddhist monks has been arrested by police in Thailand. "Ms Golf", as she has been dubbed by police, allegedly extracted 385 million baht (€10.2m or £8.8m) from at least nine victims over three years, the BBC reports.
A bomb threat which grounded a passenger plane was found to be a hoax orchestrated by a furious mother trying to stop her married son going on holiday with his mistress. The threat was taken seriously and led to the cancellation of the flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Kathmandu, Nepal on Saturday,&n
As most of France celebrates the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, one Frenchman is returning to prison two days after a remarkable escape. The 20-year-old man, who has not been named, is believed to have escaped from the Corbas prison near Lyon by hiding in a laundry bag belonging to a c