Features

Our boatman on the River Douro is astonished to learn that I first visited the valley, as a guest of Cockburns, 40 years ago. On reflection, I’m a little amazed myself. The old signs celebrating the Scottish heritage of the Port business are still there. The steep, terraced hillsides are peppe

The place in the legal system of notable lawyers in the Victorian and other eras often attracted biographers, or at least appreciative commentaries. There are, however, many other lawyers whose distinctive contributions in their community may have become lost in time. Kenneth Macdonald is one such f

In April 1882 Kenneth Macdonald (see below), an Inverness solicitor, wrote to the lord advocate requesting a jury trial for his clients and took the highly unusual step of releasing his letter to the public. The letter in which Macdonald drew parallels with the treatment of his clients, Skye crofte

In a foreword to Peter Tobin: Hunting Shadows Tom Wood QPM, a retired senior officer formerly of Lothian and Borders Police, refers to "the most cursed of coincidences". That was a cohort of Scots, Angus Sinclair, Robert Black and Peter Tobin, all of whom in their time apparently killed at will. Jan

Section 250 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 (CPA) significantly expands the scope of corporate criminal liability in the UK. Under the new regime, organisations can be liable where a “senior manager” commits a criminal offence when “acting within the actual or apparent scope of

New funding for Edinburgh fintech Aveni and the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab underscores Scotland’s growing strength in financial technology, with investment in AI, regulatory innovation and collaboration positioning the country as a leading hub for responsible fintech development, writ

The UK Supreme Court is set to clarify whether a company can recover losses suffered by a subsidiary after hearing a landmark appeal stemming from the closure of Glasgow's famed Rogano restaurant, with the ruling expected to have significant implications for commercial contract claims across the UK,

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) annual work-related injury report has revealed the number of workers killed in work-related incidents has declined year on year, but by a smaller rate than in previous terms, writes Kevin Bridges. The construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing secto

Carole Ewart argues that Scotland's freedom of information laws should allow independent appeals against decisions by the lord advocate and procurators fiscal, ending what she describes as a blanket exemption that undermines transparency and access to justice. In the CFoIS draft FoI Reform Bill, a p

It is a sign of the passage of time that the subtitle to this biography should explicitly identify Bernard Montgomery as a ‘World War II general’. ‘Monty’ and a few, but not many, other generals were well known as celebrities to the wartime public. Montgomery was an outsider,

As Glasgow prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, CMS Scotland's Kimberley Cross explains why protecting intellectual property, sponsorship rights and event branding is central to the commercial success of modern sporting events. Major sporting events capture public attention, but their comme

In March 2023, Alex Murdaugh (pronounced ‘Murdock’ by Americans), an attorney, was found guilty of the murders of his wife Maggie and their younger son Paul at their home in South Carolina. The circumstances of the deaths were violent; both having been shot. The news outlets produced a n

Until last year, I never took an interest in my Ogilvy ancestors, and I wish I had left it that way. Farmers at the head of Glenisla for hundreds of years, they were tenants and kinsmen of the Earl of Airlie. In contrast to my English relations (war heroes and concentration camp survivors), they see

The strange thing about St Andrews is that decent mid-range bistro/brasserie restaurants have always been thin on the ground. Today's lunch companion John Barnett, a contemporary who forged a successful career as an international banker armed with a law degree from Dundee University, is now resident

Silence may no longer be the safest option for accused persons in modern Scotland despite the example set by Nicola Sturgeon, writes Douglas McConnell. For decades, Scottish defence solicitors have offered a piece of advice so consistently it became almost instinctive: Say nothing.