Features

Change is coming to rent reviews for traditional agricultural tenancies. The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill which is at present going through the Scottish Parliament contains proposals to change the law in relation to how rent reviews are to be dealt with, writes Hamish Lean. Currently, rents are revie

Narcissists of minor repute, for whom notoriety is more achievable than fame, have bitten the hand that feeds them in their latest attack – on the UK's book festivals. David J Black adduces evidence of their hypocrisy, among other things. They never seem to bother with the detail or consider t

Spoiler alert, per Viscount Dunedin, in the House of Lords in 1931: trespass to moveables “in a Scottish Lawyer’s mouth is a perfectly unmeaning phrase”, writes Ewan Kennedy. I’m hoping that a case that started in Oban Sheriff Court nearly three years ago will spark the

Formal building contracts are a fundamental part of any construction project, specifying the contractual obligations on all parties, avoiding any ambiguities and the need for third-party interventions that can add to project costs and timescales, writes Ian McCann. The Joint Contracts Tribunal

John Stirling and Conner McConnell conclude their critique of housing legislation currently under consideration at Holyrood. See part one here. In our article “The unaddressed issue in residential tenancies” published in Scottish Legal News last month, we drew attention to a deficiency i

As Taylor Swift prepares to enchant the Murrayfield crowd with her talents this weekend, it is not just her reputation as a music superstar that draws attention, writes Steph Innes. Taylor Swift is a mastermind in safeguarding her empire, through a robust and well-defended intellectual property

A simple question: do leaders make history, or does history make leaders? Seeking an answer formed the basis of a course by the author on leaders and leadership in history at Harvard University. The debate in understanding leadership is said to be deciding between those (like Machiavelli) who believ

A large percentage of law firms continue to ignore the complaints process and in doing so push up costs for everyone, writes Vicky Crichton.

The Cleveland Torso Murderer, also known as the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, was an unidentified serial killer who was active in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1930s. In parenthesis, it should be acknowledged immediately that these sorts of designations assume that there is one responsible person but that

As controversy rages over the reinstatement of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art, this timely and thoroughly researched book makes an eloquent plea for the restoration of what was a jewel in Scotland's artistic and cultural crown. The Mack was considered to be the great masterpiece o

Gillian Mawdsley looks at the inquest into the recent death of lawyer Vanessa Ford and what the profession should learn from the tragic case. Vanessa Ford's death on 23 September 2023 provides, if required, further evidence that legal professionals need to be supported regarding their mental health.

Jen Ang is a firm believer that equality should be at the heart of the law and that, equally, the law should uphold those equalities. That isn’t always the case, though – which is why Ang co-founded social justice legal organisation Just Right Scotland in 2017. Just Right has proved more

In recent weeks, the Isle of Man and Jersey have moved closer to enacting assisted dying laws. Scotland also proposed a bill for debate. The Netherlands, a country with almost three decades of practical and legal experience in this matter, allowed the assisted suicide of Zoraya ter Beek, a 29 y

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, with its theme being “Movement: moving more for our mental health”, writes Jodi Gordon. It has long been established that physical illness and injury can impact someone’s mental wellbeing. That link has only become clearer for me ove

It is rather sad that the manuscript for this book was completed by its author, Maurice Watkins, a solicitor to and director of Manchester United, shortly before his death in 2021. His relatives and others have assisted with the work to ensure publication. Commendably, profits from the book go towar