Addleshaw Goddard has announced a new leadership role for David Kirchin who has been appointed head of Scotland for the firm, combining that additional responsibility with his advisory role as a corporate partner. Mr Kirchin succeeds Malcolm McPherson who has retired from the partnership, but remain
Search: Scottish syndicate purchased land 1901 for £5000
The long-awaited Supreme Court judgment in Villiers v Villiers [2020] UKSC 30 has been handed down this morning. SKO's Rachael Kelsey has acted for the successful respondent, Mrs Villiers, since 2014 and gives a short summary of the 74-page decision. What was it about?
It is no surprise that one of the prime aims of China’s new national security law aimed at suppressing Hong Kong’s democracy movement published yesterday is the abolition of trial by jury. The elimination of the right to trial by one’s peers is always one of the first targets of au
The Inner House of the Court of Session has ruled that a Lord Ordinary is not required to appoint an oral hearing when considering a request for judicial review of a decision by another Lord Ordinary to refuse a petition for judicial review. Reclaiming motions by April Prior, Gor
The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce has welcomed a successful cross border operation where Police Scotland arrested 59 people and seized more than £25 million pounds worth of controlled drugs. More than £7 million in cash and firearms, ammunition, explosives and industrial pill presses
There have been recent changes to the rules on travel to the UK and to the EU arising out of COVID-19. So, what are the key things employers need to know in relation to business visits and travel arrangements involving their staff? Elaine McIlroy explains. Travel restrictions: England
A Holyrood committee has reiterated its call for "unnecessary and arbitrary powers" contained in emergency coronavirus legislation to be repealed in order to protect the rights of people with mental health conditions. Schedule 9 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 provides for longer periods of e
Ampersand has welcomed Euan Scott, Mark Boni and Nick McAndrew to the stable following their call to the bar. Mr Scott has significant experience across a wide range of civil litigation, with a particular focus on commercial dispute resolution (concentrating on commercial contract disputes, pro
Construction lawyer Lisa Dromgoole considers the parallels between Hearts and Partick Thistle’s legal battle with the SPFL and alternative dispute resolution in the building sector. It's not often that a construction lawyer has cause to consider the world of football, or not this construction
When the Supreme Court gave its decision in long-running matrimonial dispute Villiers v Villiers this month it handed a significant victory to Edinburgh law firm SKO Family Law. Led by partner Rachael Kelsey – the K in SKO – the firm represented Mrs Villiers in a matter that had sought t
One of the world’s leading intellectual property guides has named Burness Paull as the leading IP litigation practice in Scotland. The IAM Patent 1000 is regarded as the definitive ‘go-to’ resource for those seeking to identify world-class, private practice patent expertise across
Solicitor estate agents have accused the Scottish government of creating dangerous uncertainty in the housing market by announcing a proposed change to the property tax threshold without stating when it will be introduced. Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LB
Homebuyers will be able to take advantage of reduced rates of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) from this week, after Finance Secretary Kate Forbes responded to calls for a quick implementation of the change. The threshold at which LBTT begins to be paid will rise from £145,000 to &pou
Scotland's student loans body used facial recognition technology to catch a fraudster who stole £5,500 in loans, The Times reports. The Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) used technology that is not even available to Police Scotland, which has placed a moratorium on its use amid human
Viscount Melville, The Times reports, is considering applying for a judicial review of the legend on a proposed plaque on the Melville monument to reflect his ancestor's alleged perpetuation of the slave trade. Indeed, his lordship sprang to the defence of his forebear on the BBC's Today programme t