Justice Secretary Angela Constance has announced a funding boost for a specialist centre aimed at tackling violent crime. The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit is to receive a seven per cent boost in funding to £1.2 million due to concerns about a “youth violence epidemic”.
Search: Scottish syndicate purchased land 1901 for £5000
The introduction of a bill aimed at simplifying the law around crofting is a welcome step towards long-awaited and much needed reform, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill was introduced by the Scottish government this week and proposes to amend the law
Legislation to improve tenants’ rights and introduce homelessness prevention measures has completed stage two scrutiny by a cross-party committee of MSPs. The Scottish government introduced the Housing (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament last year to help tackle poverty by improving the
The Lord President, Lord Pentland has appointed Lord Colbeck as vice-chair of the Judicial Institute. The Judicial Institute for Scotland provides education and training for Scottish judges.
The Law Society of Scotland’s Client Protection Fund is working well but there should be more lay members on its sub-committee, according to a report from the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC). The society has a duty to provide a grant-making fund to protect clients who have lost mon
Criminals who were ordered to repay the profits of their offending owe the public purse over £5 million, according to new figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives. Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service data released under a freedom of information request show that there are currently 89
The Lawscot Foundation has unveiled a modern new logo to help aid its mission supporting aspiring Scottish lawyers who face financial and other barriers. The new look has been launched as 2025 applications for support are considered. Applications can be made up to midday on Monday, 30 June 2025 by p
Colin Lancaster, chief executive of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, details proposals delivered at Holyrood to improve the legal aid system. SLAB is one of a number of organisations to give evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice (EHRCJ) Committee at its inquiry into the current civ
Part-time Sheriff John Halley has been removed from office after an independent tribunal report found that his "misbehaviour" renders him unfit for judicial office. Mr Halley was appointed as junior counsel to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in October 2015 but was dismissed in April 2019. H
The Law Society of Scotland has formally welcomed 141 new Scottish solicitors to the legal profession, marking unprecedented growth for the sector.
Dear Editor, I read with interest the article by Kieran Buxton on the Leases (Automatic Continuation etc) (Scotland) Bill that is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament. Scrutiny of the bill is of course welcome. Nevertheless it is important to see the bill in the context of the consi
Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities are to receive up to £26 million over the next three years. The Scottish government’s CashBack for Communities programme uses money recovered from seized criminal assets to provide crucial support to young p
A new report published by a Holyrood committee is calling for a "world-leading" pilot project to be made permanent. The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee wants to see the Scottish Parliament continue its "cutting-edge" approach to embedding "deliberative democracy" in its work.
The Edinburgh office of Burges Salmon has grown rapidly since its launch in 2019 and, in the past 12 months, Scottish lawyers from across the firm’s built environment, energy and utilities, transport and financial services sectors completed over 90 transactions, totalling more than £3.1
The Scottish Parliament is currently scrutinising a bill that would bring about significant changes to the law on ending commercial leases in Scotland. This will be of significant interest to both landlords and tenants in Scotland, writes Kieran Buxton. At present, if a party wants a lease to end on
