News

Five recommendations have been made following a fatal accident inquiry into the suicide of a student. Kerry Ann Finnigan, a 26-year-old English literature graduate, died by suicide at University Hospital Wishaw on 21 December 2019. 

Legislation laid in Holyrood will designate ‘sex’ as a protected characteristic under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. There are protections in the Act for individuals’ rights in respect to freedom of expression for the new stirring up hatred offences. Hate

Solicitors who provide legal aid will receive a 13 per cent increase in fees from September this year. The fees hike is part of a wider package of support including also funding for up to 40 legal aid traineeship places and digital support to help firms purchase devices to assist trainees in their w

The Swedish government has announced plans to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for certain serious crimes in spite of opposition from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In a statement on Monday, Swedish justice minister Gunnar Strömmer said the country w

France’s National Assembly has approved a bill that would bar under-15s from accessing social media, a move backed by President Emmanuel Macron. Parliamentarians in the lower house voted 116–23 late on Monday to approve the core provisions of the legislation, which would prevent young te

The Scottish Housing News Podcast has taken an exciting step forward with the launch of its new YouTube channel, opening new doors for its audience to connect with the conversations shaping Scotland’s housing sector.

Intellectual property firm Murgitroyd has strengthened its senior leadership team with three appointments. The firm has appointed Camilla Jagger as its chief operating officer, David Goldsby as its chief technology officer and Russell Flanders as its commercial director.

The Aberdeen Law Project (ALP) has obtained a four-figure settlement for a client following their landlord’s failure to meet the statutory repairing standard, as well as the wrongful termination of their client’s former tenancy. Prior to ALP’s engagement in the matter, the client w

A consultation being undertaken by the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) to extend the rules governing mass legal claims has closed amid concerns that a new system will disadvantage Scottish consumers and the economy. The SCJC is considering extending the rules surrounding mass legal claims in S

Shoosmiths in Scotland has appointed William Reid as banking legal director.  Based in Shoosmiths’ Edinburgh office, he will work closely with colleagues in the real estate and corporate teams, advising clients on matters including corporate lending, leveraged / acquisition and real estat

University of Aberdeen law students David Thomson, Alessia Cucchi, Daisy Lockhart and Wyon Sandells have shared their experience representing the university at the UK Student Mediation Competition, hosted by Queen’s University Belfast’s Institute of Professional Legal Practice.

Police Scotland has confirmed it will continue recording non-criminal “hate incidents”, even as the practice is set to be abandoned in England and Wales. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said police south of the border should stop logging non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) and focus inst

Contractor GEOAmey is to be replaced as Scotland’s prisoner escort provider next year following numerous serious failings, among them the escape of a violent rapist from custody. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed on Tuesday that Mitie has been awarded the new contract, just weeks aft

Scotland’s prostitution laws breach human rights laws, an academic has warned. Dr Claire Methven O’Brien said that current laws in Scotland allow “tacit permission or encouragement to perpetrate acts of gender-based violence against women”. 

Lockton, the appointed brokers for the Master Policy, have an expanding library of risk management CPD modules on their Resource Centre, available to all Scottish legal practices.