Features

A complex and compelling figure of the 19th century, Sir Archibald Alison was many things; a criminal lawyer, prolific historian, High Tory political thinker, and staunch upholder of law and order in turbulent times. Born to Rev. Archibald Alison and Dorothea Gregory - herself a former companion of

John Sturrock KC commends a new book on the great Neil MacCormick. “But have you ever cycled across The Meadows?” In those days, cycleways had not yet been marked out in Edinburgh’s central green space and it was still forbidden to cycle there. “Yes, but…” Too la

Andrew Stevenson suggests the courts stick to English amid the passing of new language legislation. I always struggled to understand my great auntie Gertie. Born before the First World War in working class Aberdeen, not merely did she speak with a strong accent, with curious intonation, she deployed

Following a BBC Panorama investigation, ESPC CEO Paul Hilton highlights the ethical advantages of working with solicitor estate agents in Scotland. A Panorama investigation south of the border revealed unscrupulous practices by some estate agents in England, raising serious concerns for home buyers

Murderland, as a history of extreme crime in particular geographical areas of the United States of America, transcends true-crime voyeurism and noir mythology. Many of the individual criminals discussed in the book are very well-known. It may seem odd, however, to read that in 1972 the city of El Pa

In October of 1739 an Irish merchant vessel, the William, slipped out of Donaghadee harbour near Belfast and sailed into infamy. Its stated goal of collecting Norwegian timber shrouded the dark mission of its master William Davidson – to kidnap Scottish crofters and sell them into slavery in t

As AI systems embed themselves in everyday legal workflows, they begin to absorb not just what we produce, but how we think. Dr Corsino San Miguel sets out a strategy for protecting the judgment that defines a law firm’s identity. Imagine a chef using an AI assistant to make sandwiches.

Andrew McConnell and Victoria Hayward of Beale & Co examine a recent court judgment on prescription. Prescription remains a very hot topic and in this article we look at the Court of Session’s approach to the application of section 6(4) and the evidence relied upon by Greater Glasgow Healt

Michael Upton concludes his discussion of Robert Louis Stevenson's lawyerly credentials. Yesterday we marked the 150th anniversary of Robert Louis Stevenson’s admission to the Faculty of Advocates with the first part of this discussion of the assertion once made by the Times Literary Supp

There is just over a week until changes to the immigration rules take effect, writes Ashley Fleming. The Home Office has announced immigration rule changes, effective from 22 July 2025, which implement proposals set out in the Immigration White Paper. Approximately 180 occupation codes will be remov

Michael Upton marks the 150th anniversary of Robert Louis Stevenson calling to the Scottish bar.

Prison reform campaigners have called for a cap on the number of prisoners in Scotland as jails grow dangerously overcrowded and under-resourced. The country’s prison population reached an average of almost 8,000 last year, an eight per cent increase since 2023.

Robert Macduff-Duncan WS recalls the two-century-long history of the Society of Procurators and Solicitors in the City and County of Perth. On 8th July 1825, the Society of Procurators in Perth was formally instituted. In 1857, the members petitioned for a Royal Charter, and here we are, in 2025 pro

Alastair Tibbs reviews Netflix's new documentary on the Grenfell Tower fire. In the early hours of 14 June 2017, the London sky was ignited. What started as a spark from a faulty fridge soon became the blaze that claimed the lives of 72 men, women and children. It was, however, a perfect storm of ne

Anderson Strathern partner Robin Turnbull examines the potential impact on rural businesses of the UK government's employment law reforms. In rural Scotland, where around 84 per cent of businesses describe themselves as family-owned, the line between employee and family member can often blur. From f