The Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary has refused an appeal against a domestic abuse conviction after finding that the sheriff had not erred in admitting hearsay evidence which, owing to severe mental ill health, the appellant’s ex-partner could not deliver as a witness. The appella
Appointments
See all articlesAnn McKechin has been appointed as chair of the Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel, tasked with leading the panel’s work to champion consumer interests within legal services regulation and to make recommendations for improvement. A former MP and minister, she has experience of working with
Watermans has appointed Colin Higgins as its first chief operating officer. Mr Higgins, who this year celebrated two decades of employment in the business, most recently held the role of head of finance at the firm. The internal promotion will see him take charge of day-to-day operations, finance an
Anderson Strathern has appointed trusts and private wealth disputes specialist Sarah-Jane Macdonald as a partner within its dispute resolution team. Ms Macdonald joins the firm as it expands its contentious trusts and estates practice in response to increasing demand for advice in Scotland, driven b
BTO has appointed Alan Gilfillan, an experienced corporate lawyer and accredited charity law specialist, as a partner in its corporate team. Mr Gilfillan brings more than 15 years’ experience in corporate and charity law and is one of only seven lawyers in Scotland accredited by the Law Societ
Thorntons is boosting its senior specialist credentials with the appointment of Fiona Piper and Stephen Connolly as partners in its Glasgow office. Ms Piper brings more than 30 years of advising businesses on corporate and commercial work. Qualified in Scotland and England, she acts on behalf of fou
Pinsent Masons has elected John Maciver as senior partner. Mr Maciver is a finance partner and is head of the firm’s financial services sector, which under his leadership has grown by over 20 per cent in the last two financial years.
Universities
See all articlesProfessor Justin Borg-Barthet of the University of Aberdeen has been reappointed to the European Commission's Expert Group Against SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), recognising his continued leadership in efforts to protect freedom of expression and strengthen democratic parti
Kirsten Oswald, minister for victims and community safety, visited the University of Strathclyde Mediation Clinic to learn how mediation is helping people and businesses resolve disputes without the time and expense of court proceedings.
An Aberdeen climate law expert has taken part in key United Nations negotiations that will help shape discussions at this year’s global climate summit. Dr Mitchell Lennan, co-director of the Centre for Energy Law at the University of Aberdeen, attended the 64th sessions of the United Nations F
The University of Aberdeen conferred one of its highest academic honours yesterday, when Dr Graeme Brown was awarded the degree of doctor of laws (LLD) by research – a distinction granted only in exceptional circumstances and rarely awarded in the modern era. While the LLD is widely known as a
In the latest episode of the University of Aberdeen’s School of Law Podcast, Neil Weightman speaks with Dr Rossana Ducato and Professor Dinusha Mendis about deepfakes, synthetic media, and the legal challenges created by rapidly developing AI technologies. What are deepfakes, and why are they
And Finally
See all articlesNetflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit after an unencrypted copy of an unreleased World War II thriller was allegedly stolen from its Los Angeles offices. Writer-producer Simon Afram and his company claim the theft has jeopardised the sale of the film, Fortitude, directed by Simon West and starrin
A couple have been left facing legal costs of around £150,000 after losing an appeal in a 14-year dispute with their neighbours over a garden fence, an ornamental squirrel and offensive songs posted on YouTube. Philip and Denise New became embroiled in a long-running row with neighbours Steve
Japanese police have arrested a 61-year-old musician accused of keeping his elderly neighbours awake for more than seven years by playing loud guitar music day and night. Kyoto resident Kazunori Yokoi allegedly blasted dozens of guitars and his radio at high volume from 2019 onwards – despite
eBay has agreed to pay almost $50 million to settle claims by a Massachusetts couple who said former employees targeted them with a bizarre harassment campaign involving live cockroaches and spiders, a funeral wreath and a bloody pig Halloween mask. David and Ina Steiner, founders of e-commerce news
Dog owners in the Swiss town of Chiasso will soon be required to clean up their pets' urine as well as their faeces under what is believed to be the country's first rule of its kind. From mid-August, owners must carry a bottle of water to dilute urine left in public places. First-time offenders will









