News

Michael Matheson A consultation on strengthening the presumption against short periods of imprisonment has been launched by theScottish government.

Rosemary Agnew Scottish government plans to extend freedom of information (FOI) laws should cover private schools according to Scotland's information commissioner.

John Nimmo UK corporate law firm Nimmo WS has signed a deal with Manhattan law firm Rooney PC to create Rooney Nimmo, a joint legal venture with offices in Edinburgh, New York and London.

Frank Mulholland The Crown Office and Health and Safety Executive’s Health and Safety Conference at Aberdeen University today will look at the issues surrounding the investigation and prosecution of health and safety cases and provide a forum for investigators, prosecutors and defence lawyers to d

Jonathan Smithers Magistrates are allowing petty criminals to go unpunished in order to protect them from new court fees by issuing absolute discharges according to The Independent.

A father-of-two who was jailed after being found guilty of abducting one of his sons has had an application for judicial review of decisions made by a Scottish local authority in respect of the children’s care refused. The basis of the petition was an allegation that the respondents had failed to

A property development company which challenged a local authority’s decision to adopt a new local plan has had an appeal refused by a judge in the Court of Session. Calmac Developments Ltd, the owner of the Woodland House Hotel on the edge of Dumfries, appealed against a decision of Dumfries and G

Yves Bot The European Commission’s decision that safeguards on personal data transferred from the EU to the US under the "Safe Harbour" agreement are adequate does not prevent national authorities from suspending the transfer of European Facebook subscribers’ data to US servers according to the

Duncan McNeil Holyrood's health committee has backed legislation to introduce a ban on smoking in vehicles in the presence of minors.

The son of one of Scotland's law officers has been given a community payback order for assaulting his girlfriend. Andrew Thomson, 27, son of the Solicitor General Lesley Thomson, has been ordered to undertake 60 hours of unpaid work within three months after he attacked his partner.

Rosa Curling Members of the UK parliament have joined charity Reprieve and law firm Leigh Day to demand information about the UK's use of unmanned combat drones.

An Indian woman kept as a servant and paid as little as 11p an hour has been given nearly £184,000 in compensation in one of the UK’s first caste discrimination cases. Permila Tirkey, from the state of Bihar, was kept in domestic servitude and forced to work as a nanny and cleaner by her Hindu em

The minister for children and young people today visited law firm Maclay Murray & Spens (MMS) to thank the firm for supporting a new flexible working initiative. The Scottish government and MMS are the first to adopt a "happy to talk flexible working" strapline which will appear on adverts for p

Hillel Neuer An ambassador to Saudi Arabia has been controversially appointed as chair of the Consultative Group to the President of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Tyrone Jones DWF has been named a top employer by charity Working Families.