Lawyers at Levy & McRae have paid tribute to their former client Alex Salmond following his sudden death over the weekend. David McKie, senior partner of the firm, said: “Alex was a true giant of the political world both in Scotland and across the UK. He was unquestionably one of the leadi
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Appointments
See all articlesHamiltons Law Accountants has promoted Jade Blair to head of law accountancy. Ms Blair has been with Hamilton Law Accountants since it opened in October 2023, and initially started as a trainee law accountant at its predecessor firm Hamilton Mullan Law Accountants.
Holmes Mackillop has promoted Glasgow-based senior solicitor Kathleen Macleod to associate. In her new role she will assist property team directors Kevin Thompson and Amir Ismail to supervise the paralegals who comprise the firm’s residential conveyancing team.
Burness Paull has extended its immigration offering with the appointment of Olivia McLaren, a US immigration attorney based in Scotland, as head of US immigration. Ms McLaren joins Burness Paull alongside her colleague Corinna Boland (paralegal) from Olivia McLaren, Ltd., a boutique US immigration l
TC Young has welcomed six new trainee solicitors. The new trainees are Chloe Mather, Olivia Smith, Lewis Marchand, Rory Guild, Paulette Campbell and Spencer Wilson.
Solicitor Elizabeth Kennedy has been appointed to the board of National Galleries of Scotland (NGS). Ms Kennedy is head of legal for Havas UK, part of the global advertising and communications agency Havas.
Julie Hamill has joined Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace LLP as an associate in the firm's residential conveyancing team. Callum McDonald, managing partner, said: “We are delighted to welcome Julie back to the firm in a senior property role, where she will be able to help us maintain
Legal Aid
See all articlesCriminal lawyers south of the border are to withdraw from legal aid work over a pay dispute with ministers. The Law Society is to advise its members to consider withdrawing from legal aid work or scaling it back until the UK government provides a "meaningful response" to lawyers' demands.
Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk is being taken to the High Court by lawyers who say legal aid fees are so low they cannot provide representation to thousands of people. The case revolves around access to legal aid for immigration and asylum lawyers and is being brought by Duncan Lewis solicitors.
The Law Society of Scotland is to withdraw from discussions on the creation of a review mechanism for legal aid fees, stating it had "lost confidence" in the Scottish government project following a lack of progress in two years. The Legal Aid Remuneration Project and Research Analysis Group were set
The number of criminal legal aid solicitors dropped from 1,459 in 2007 to 966, the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association (SSBA) has said as it warned the system was heading for collapse. The Scottish government's public spend on legal aid has declined by 45 per cent, allowing for inflation, over the p
The Scottish government’s 2024-25 budget continues its distorted and shortsighted approach to criminal justice, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The budget papers reveal an extra £22 million has been provided to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), while the f
Universities
See all articlesDid you graduate from Edinburgh Law School in 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 or 2024 with an LLB, LLM, MSc, PhD or Diploma? Join the law school for its Alumni Reunion 2024 on Saturday, 30 November 2024 for an exciting opportunity to meet, reconnect and network with your fellow Edinburgh La
Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws KC is to deliver the Ruth Adler Human Rights Lecture 2024 at Edinburgh Law School next month. Born and brought up in Glasgow, she is a bencher of Gray’s Inn, an honorary writer to the Signet and the recipient of 42 honorary degrees and fellowships from many univer
For the very first time in the UK, a dedicated undergraduate course in Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights is being offered at Edinburgh Law School. Economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights are fundamental human rights that are necessary to live a dignified life that is free from fear and want.
Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC will deliver this year's James Wood lecture on the topic of the prosecution of sexual offences. The James Wood Lecture is the principal public lecture hosted annually by the University of Glasgow School of Law, having first been delivered by Lord Fraser of Tullybelton i
Edinburgh Law School’s Dr Martin David Kelly, lecturer in legal theory, has been elected as a convenor of the Jurisprudence Section of the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS). Dr Kelly will take over the convening of the section with Dr Sahar Shah (University of Bristol), for a three-year term in
And Finally
See all articlesThe World Conker Championships is investigating an allegation of cheating after a contestant was found to have a steel chestnut. The men's winner at the annual competition in Northamptonshire was searched by organisers after his rival cried foul play, The Telegraph reports.
Police say they seized a bag labelled "definitely not a bag full of drugs" – which turned out to be full of drugs.
An Iranian couple have between them received nine convictions, lashings and prison time for, among other things, having a pet cat. Niloufar Ghazaleh and Mohammad Ali Moghimi, a married couple living in the Middle Eastern country's Isfahan province, drew the ire of authorities after breaking mandator
A woman called police after her home was surrounded by around 100 raccoons demanding food – but officers said "the raccoons haven't committed any crimes" [sic]. According to 9NEWS, the unnamed woman, who lives in Poulsbo, Washington, has been feeding raccoons in the neighbourhood for around 35
A motorist who chugged an entire bottle of liquor shortly after being pulled over has been acquitted of drink driving after a court concluded it was impossible to tell if he was already drunk. The court in Daegu, South Korea, heard that the suspect drank an entire bottle of soju – which typica