News

Jonathan Cooper OBE Barrister Jonathan Cooper OBE of Doughty Street Chambers looks at the protections guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the consequences of its loss, especially for the LGBT community.

Two patients detained at low and medium secure psychiatric units who claimed that the blanket ban on smoking in the grounds of the mental health hospitals breached their human rights have had their actions dismissed. A judge in the Court of Session ruled that the complete ban on smoking was “lawfu

Ahead of the second reading of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill in the Upper House, the House of Lords Constitution Committee is calling on the UK government to amend the bill. The committee’s report, published today, states that legislation is necessary to ensure legal continuity and certaint

Kate Frame The head of a police watchdog warned the Scottish government not to interfere with her independence last year, it has emerged.

Alison Saunders All current rape and sexual assault cases in England and Wales are under review by the Crown Prosecution Service following a series of failures to disclose evidence, The Times reports.

The professional body for Scottish solicitors has said regulation of legal services is in drastic need of modernisation.

Govanhill Law Centre has been successful in persuading a local authority in Scotland to almost treble its rate of pay for overnight "sleepover care". A self-directed care funding package had made provision for £3.51 per hour gross pay for overnight care workers - £3.03 per hour net. That figure ha

Pictured (L-R): Lucy Greenwood, Andrew Mackenzie and Rashda Rana SC

A Dublin-based law firm has announced that it will accept Bitcoin payments from clients in what it believes is a first for an Irish law firm. In a statement, Cosgrove Gaynard Solicitors said it had "decided to accept Bitcoin after receiving requests from a number of clients".

Laurence Kennedy Advocate Laurence Kennedy has written to the Lord Justice Clerk following our report on the appeal of KM v HMA in which the court was highly critical of defence counsel. In the opinion issued by the court counsel was identified only as "L Kennedy". Unfortunately there are two advoca

A man acting under a power of attorney who challenged the lawfulness of a Scottish local authority’s decisions relating to the provision of community care services to his elderly mother has had his appeal refused. The petitioner and reclaimer “PQ” claimed that the respondent Glasgow City Counc

Today sees the launch of Benchmark Advocates – a collaboration which takes a contemporary approach to the marketing and delivery of advocacy services. Thomas Leonard Ross QC and advocate Edith Forrest have worked with leading IT professionals to create the vehicle, which aims to complement traditi

Scottish solicitors have endorsed amendments to practice rules intended to raise standards around their anti-money laundering practices and incidental financial business - the vote was counted at the Law Society of Scotland's special general meeting, in Edinburgh yesterday. The Law Society’s curre

Pictured: David Rennie (left) and Neil Forbes

Roseanna Cunningham A new bill has been submitted to the Scottish Parliament outlining the long-term future of Crown Estate Scotland.