Features

Never mind parliamentary wrangling about whether the government's bill is tough enough. In this piece Ronnie Clancy KC argues that there are powerful reasons to doubt the truth and the good faith of the UK government's claim that Rwanda is now a safe country for asylum seekers. At all three stages o

It could be tempting after two decades of establishing a successful reputation in a particular sector of the law to continue to plough the same furrow and enjoy the degree of regularity that brings. Not so for Neil Hay who pivoted, as he puts it, from 20 years working in legal aid defence toward a n

If he might crave the reader’s indulgence, this idle scrivener would very much like to share his fun idea for an exciting new parlour game or, equally, a pub quiz for the judicially aware at any learned hangout where good claret can be had. A subtle combination of Where’s Wally and Clued

The understandable furore over the malicious dishonesty of those involved in the prosecution, better word persecution, of innocent sub-postmasters by the once trusted Post Office seems to me merely one example of a wider malaise in our present society. Like many bad-tempered old court lawyers, I hav

The role of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in the Horizon scandal must be investigated, writes a concerned solicitor. The recent ITV drama on the Horizon scandal has shocked the nation. This has been an issue that has troubled me since listening to Nick Wallis’ excellen

David J Black recalls a bygone era in Demarco’s Edinburgh.

Stuart Munro, who acted for Susan Sinclair, the first subpostmaster in Scotland whose conviction was overturned on appeal, writes on the scandal that has caught the public's attention. The broadcast of a major new drama on ITV, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, has brought the Post Office Horizon scandal

Retired solicitor advocate David Brookens recalls seeing someone take the law into their own hands in his early days in court. Yesterday's edition of The Times carried a story that really struck a chord with me: a story about a judge in Florida being attacked by a dissatisfied accused. My very first

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced proposals to ensure that consumer credit scores will now better reflect individuals’ financial situations, writes Venetia Jackson. The proposals set out a range of measures aiming to improve the information collected by credit reference

Irish legal academic Professor Laurent Pech considers the future of the rule of law in the EU. The history of the rule of law in EU law has been one of gradual process of formal Treaty enshrinement followed by the swift development of the EU’s “rule of law toolbox” in response to u

Professor Joseph Bristow’s impressive new study, which deserves close attention, shows that the civil libel suit and the criminal trials involving Oscar Wilde were understood to be within the legal procedures of the time. The significantly wider importance of his book may be that the detailed

I try to avoid criticism of political figures on social media – but like most people I can be provoked beyond endurance. Last week First Minister Humza Yousaf attended an event at the University of Strathclyde at which the consultation on a Scottish Human Rights Bill was discussed. I am very h

Douglas Thomson reviews a new book by Ian O'Donnell, professor of criminology at University College Dublin, examining four very different prison regimes. In this book, Professor Ian O'Donnell visits and investigates four very different prison environments, all considerably unlike those within the ma

Plug and Play. It’s a catchy little phrase when it comes to running a law firm, but Brian Inkster isn’t overly concerned with preserving tradition and the approach he has developed over the past 25 years has seen Inksters Solicitors grow from a practice primarily specialising in crofting

Should we be seeking to remove a significant number of disputes from the courts altogether, asks John Sturrock. Recently in these pages, I mentioned a talk I’d given to a Worldwide Advocacy Conference in July 1998. Then, I’d identified two related developments with implications for civil