News

The judge chairing the inquiry into allegations of historical sexual abuse of children south of the border is to be paid more than £480,000 a year. Justice Lowell Goddard will receive a salary of £360,000 plus an annual rental allowance of £110,000 in addition to £12,000 for utlities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Dozens of lawyers in China have been detained by police in the past few days in what appears to be a coordinated operation.

A hospital consultant has been ordered to pay his wife his entire £550,000 in assets in an unusual complete divorce award. Essam Aly, 54, an anaesthetist, left his wife, Enas, 46, three years ago and relocated to Bahrain.

Lady Dorrian A millionaire businessman who claimed that a newspaper article defamed him has successfully challenged a judge’s decision that the story was incapable of bearing the defamatory innuendo alleged.

The tax authorities have been slammed by a judge who called their treatment of a dyslexic man “outrageous”. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) pursued John Clark, of Dunfermline, who has the mental development of a 12-year-old, for £18,000 in unpaid tax.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg A new report on privacy says British intelligence services should retain the power to collect data on the private communications of UK citizens en masse but that existing laws should be revised to respect individuals' privacy.

Faryma Bahrami Terra Firma Chambers is delighted to announce that Faryma Bahrami has joined the stable having called to the bar on Friday.

Andrew Gibson Morton Fraser has announced that Andrew Gibson, a solicitor within the employment team, has been admitted as a solicitor advocate, bringing the total number at Morton Fraser to three.

Prime Minister David Cameron A new law aimed at stopping charities’ “unacceptable behaviour” in taking advantage of people’s generosity has been announced by the Prime Minister.

Martin Darroch, chief executive of Harper Macleod Harper Macleod LLP has signed up to the "Scottish Business Pledge", the Scottish government’s voluntary code for businesses, as it unveils the results of a major investment in its brand.

Sir Keir Starmer QC Journalists accused of bribing officials or hacking phones should benefit from a “public interest” defence in law according to a former director of public prosecutions.

A pensioner who was banned from driving for 10 years after he seriously injured two motorcyclists in a road traffic accident while driving himself to a hospital has failed in an appeal against his conviction. The Criminal Appeal Court ruled that the sheriff had correctly withdrawn the special defenc

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson MSP An urgent review by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) is to be undertaken into police call handling after officers failed to investigate a report of a crash until three days after it occurred.

Dr Azeem Ibrahim Prisoners in Scotland with mental health problems should not be jailed but should be given treatment according to a new report by a think tank.

Lord Glennie A clay pigeon shot whose firearms certificates were taken from him by the police because of an internet post and who won his case at first instance because lawyers for the police failed to appear has had it remitted by a judge in the Court of Session.