News

Queen’s University Belfast has won this year's UK Student Mediation Competition. The competition, hosted this year by Edinburgh Law School, was held on 26 and 27 January 2024 and involved 15 UK universities.

Glasgow City Council's chief executive Annemarie O'Donnell is to leave the local authority later this year. Ms O'Donnell has told council leader Susan Aitken that she will step down in May, after almost a decade in post and more than 30 years in local government in Glasgow.

Thorntons has posted profits of £9.2 million and turnover of £37.8m, for the financial year ending 31 May 2023. Profits are 9.1 per cent (£0.9m) down from last year, after a seven-figure IT investment and staff benchmarking exercise. Turnover is up 8.2 per cent (£2.86m)

Holmes Mackillop is expanding its reach in Ayrshire with a move to a new office in Westburn Business Centre in Prestwick. The opening of an office adjacent to Glasgow Prestwick Airport by the firm was fuelled by the decision to create Prestwick Spaceport.

A breeder who illegally sold peregrine falcons for thousands of pounds has been fined £2,100. Gary MacFarlane, 62, was also ordered to forfeit £5,220 in cash seized from his home address after he pled guilty at Livingston Sheriff Court to a number of offences under wildlife legislation c

A toddler who crawled into a claw machine and cheerfully lounged on the prize toys had to be removed by police. The three-year-old became stuck in the Hello Kitty-themed machine in a shopping centre in Queensland, Australia on Sunday, The Guardian reports.

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Hong Kong’s plan to extend detention period of suspects in national security cases sparks concerns among rights experts | South China Morning Post

Brandon Malone has been admitted to the panel of Arbitrators of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre, the MENA region’s largest alternative dispute resolution centre. Mr Malone has a strong interest in Dubai and has rights of audience before the DIFC Courts, where Lord Glennie, his succe

A new law clinic has opened in Dundee offering free legal advice to members of the public, with a senior judge as its patron.

Burges Salmon has advised Santander on a deal to support the Management Buy-Out (MBO) of Scottish pensions firm @sipp. Based in Glasgow, @sipp specialises in self-invested personal pensions, small self-administered schemes as well as commercial property. Supported by funding provided by Santander UK

The criminal justice system south of the border is heading towards collapse, two senior judges have warned. Lord Justice Singh and Justice Jay made their warning in a ruling that the UK government acted unlawfully after it failed to properly fund the legal aid system.

CMS has unveiled a series of free-to-attend events aimed at supporting Scottish food & drink companies on key legal issues affecting their sector. The CMS Scotland Kernel series is designed to support companies operating in the industry which employs around 120,000 people and is currently valued

The deal which will see Irwin Mitchell invest in firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) is now complete after securing regulatory approval. This paves the way for the two businesses to work closer together as they seek growth across the UK and internationally.

A pigeon wrongfully suspected of spying for China has been released by police after eight months' detention. The bird was caught by police in Mumbai in May 2023 and found to have metal rings around its legs and a "Chinese-like script" on the underside of its wings, The Hindu reports.

Gilson Gray has strengthened its marketing and business development team with two new hires. Kelly Jones and Rachael Etheridge have been appointed as marketing manager and business development manager, respectively.