News

Owners or long-term tenants of land or property may need to submit an entry to a new register designed to provide clarity over who controls land in Scotland. Launched on 1 April 2022, the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI) exists to improve transparency about those who u

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has told the United Nations it is concerned about the progress of civil and political rights in Scotland, highlighting issues with access to justice for human rights violations; and conditions in places of detention. In its evidence it highlighted systemic failur

Gillespie Macandrew has announced the promotion of Lorna Balfour to partner in its land & rural business team. Ms Balfour has experience in a broad range of rural property matters, in particular the purchase and sale of estates, farms and forestry, carbon sequestration and all aspects of estate

Thompsons Solicitors is planning group action against housing providers over lung conditions that claimants allege is linked to black mould. The firm has 41 clients with illnesses exacerbated by damp conditions in social housing.

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act will be activated – on April 1. The law creates new stirring up of hatred offences for protected characteristics including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity.

Sheriff Lindsay Wood has died following a short illness. Paying tribute to him, Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar of Glasgow and Strathkelvin said he would be greatly missed.

Neil Beynon considers two matters in a new article. The first of these is the judgement of the United Kingdom Supreme Court in Herculito Maritime Ltd and Others (Respondents) v Gunvor International BC & Others (Appellants) [2024] UKSC 2. It is suggested that the decision has very useful guidance

Olive oil has become the number-one target of Spanish shoplifting gangs following a sharp increase in prices.

Gilson Gray has made two appointments to its corporate team. Donald Lawrie Morrison, a senior solicitor based in the firm’s Aberdeen office, joins from Squire Patton Boggs in London where his practice focused on multi-sectoral UK and international M&A, private equity and venture capital tr

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP has announced the promotion of Stephen Grant to partner. Mr Grant, who has specialised in corporate, commercial and IT work for WJM for almost nine years, said: "It's a huge privilege to be the first partner promotion post-collaboration, signifying an exciting ph

A monograph by Professor Alexandra Braun, of Edinburgh Law School, has been selected as one of the Law Books of the Year in the German law journal Juristen Zeitung. Claiming a Promised Inheritance: A Comparative Study examines cases where a person is promised a future inheritance

The Law Society of Scotland has hosted a roundtable of key stakeholders to discuss the Scottish government’s Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. Those in attendance at the event on Friday included solicitors and advocates – working both in defence and for the Crown Off

A human rights body is to urge a UN committee to question the Scottish government over its refusal to reform the legal aid system. The Human Rights Consortium Scotland will address the United Nations Human Rights Committee this week to highlight the challenges faced by people seeking remedies f

Macleod & MacCallum has announced that Jenna Thomson, director, has been accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a family law mediator. She said: “I am very pleased to receive this recognition from the Law Society of Scotland, which adds to my existing accreditation in Family Law. It

A new survey of solicitors has confirmed the depth of concern at the Scottish government’s proposal to give itself powers to control the regulation of the legal sector. The Law Society of Scotland’s annual members’ survey, conducted in December 2023 and January 2024, found more tha