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Martin Sinclair, a partner with Mackinnons Solicitors LLP, has been elected as the new president of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen for the coming year. Founded by Royal Charter in 1774, the society has played an important role in highlighting Aberdeen on the legal map of Scotland.

The Law Society of Scotland’s work on advance choices in case of future disablement has inspired a major project to encourage legal reform across Europe. The Council of the Vienna-based European Law Institute (ELI) has approved a project to draft model laws for advance choices, to facilitate c

A 50-year-old Italian tourist has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for causing the deaths of five people after drifting into oncoming traffic. Alfredo Ciociola was sentenced at the High Court in Livingston after having been found guilty of causing the deaths of Audrey Appleby, Edward Reid

Views on juryless trials made in response to a consultation were mixed, according to a new report. An analysis of the three-month consultation on improving peoples’ experience of the justice system found “support across the board” for giving complainers in sexual offence cases an a

Thorntons has expanded its Glasgow practice with the appointment of a new senior solicitor and legal director to its commercial real estate team. Richard Hart has over 25 years’ experience in the real estate sector acting for housebuilders, landowners and tenants on all aspects of site acquisi

No child aged under 18 will be sent to a young offenders institution under legislation that has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament. The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill aims to improve experiences and outcomes for children by diverting them away from the criminal courts, with maxi

The Inner House of the Court of Session has made an order for two solicitors to deliver a file to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission that it had sought as part of a complaint investigation into them, under exception of any privileged material contained in it. It had previously been held by the

The Scottish government is on a collision course with the courts again as it prepares legislation criminalising conversion therapy, according to a KC. Double silk Aidan O’Neill KC has warned that the proposals would be outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

A senior law firm partner was left embarrassed after circulating a memo about climate change with reference to the non-existent "Valerian Sea". In a newsletter sent round a City of London firm, the lawyer said he had a "eureka moment" when he was "leaving a Scandinavian port on the Valerian Sea in t

There was a significant recovery in most areas of legal aid activity in 2021-22 following the substantial drop the previous year, according to the annual report of the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB). The total cost to the taxpayer of providing legal assistance was £118.2 million in 2021-22.

Donald Findlay KC earned the most from legal aid in 2021-22, figures from the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) show. The grand old man of the Scottish legal profession returned to the top of the table having dropped to ninth place in the previous year. He made £382,000 from legal aid in 2021-2

A Crown Bill of Advocation in respect of a sheriff’s decision to adjourn and later desert a trial diet for a serving soldier accused of sexually and physically assaulting another soldier has been refused by the Sheriff Appeal Court. Respondent Ryan Cooper had been placed under special bail con

CMS has played a key role in bringing a new skatepark to Banchory. Staff from the firm’s Aberdeen office provided free advice and significant legal support to the Banchory Skatepark Group which has recently opened its modern facility in the Deeside community.

DAC Beachcroft has announced that health and safety specialist Zoe McDonnell has joined the firm as a partner in its six-strong Scottish regulatory – safety, health & environment team. Based in DACB’s Glasgow office, she moves from BLM where she was a partner and led its Scottish reg

Historical witchcraft persecution and a proposed bill to pardon convictions are the subjects of the latest episode of BBC ALBA’s current affairs programme, Eòrpa. Reporter Eileen Macdonald speaks to women’s rights activists, local groups memorialising accused witches and camp