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Scotland has a "very high" incarceration rate, new figures from the Council of Europe show. The end of lockdown measures to tackle the pandemic produced a rebound effect in the incarceration rates in many European countries between January 2021 and January 2022: the median incarceration rate rose by

Tributes were paid to past and current female advocates at an event hosted by the Faculty of Advocates last week to celebrate Dame Margaret Kidd KC, the first female member of the Scottish bar. Kidd was admitted to Faculty on 13 July 1923, almost 100 years ago, after the Sex Disqualification (Remova

A Lord Ordinary has declared that a notice of variation of sea fishing licences issued by Marine Scotland is not compatible with the National Marine Plan adopted pursuant to the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 following a petition for judicial review. The Open Seas Trust, a charity whose purposes include

Seven in 10 people across Great Britain oppose a key plank of the UK government's controversial Troubles legacy bill, according to a new opinion poll commissioned by Amnesty International. The human rights group has published the findings of the survey as the House of Lords continues to debate the N

A prominent academic who researches honesty has been accused of falsifying research results. Dr Francesco Gino, a behavioural scientist at Harvard Business School, has been placed on administrative leave following the allegations, which first emerged in The Chronicle of Higher Education, reports FT.

Holyrood has launched a public consultation on the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, proposed legislation that would allow local authorities to impose an additional charge on overnight accommodations, such as hotels and bed & breakfasts.

Shoosmiths has been appointed to Avant Homes’ Scottish legal panel. The appointment sees the firm extend its relationship with the UK housebuilder after securing a place on Avant’s England and Wales legal panel in 2021.

Pride month is about acceptance, equality and celebrating the work of LGBTQ+ people. Employers should take steps to implement LGBTQ+ initiatives all year round and not just one month of the year. However, Pride month is a good time for employers to consider the employment law issues affecting LGBTQ+

Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland has announced the appointments of four new trustees.

The Law Society of England and Wales has been granted permission by the High Court to bring a judicial review challenge against the UK government over legal aid. The application for permission was made after the government failed to increase criminal defence solicitors’ legal aid rates by the

A judge in the Outer House has ruled that the Scottish government acted illegally in granting licences for scallop dredging in a case brought by environmental campaigners last month. Open Seas, a group concerned about the damaging impacts of the fishing method on Scotland’s seabed, accused min

The Sheriff Appeal Court has refused an appeal by a patient of an Ayrshire dentist who was removed from the Dentists Register against a sheriff’s decision that he was not responsible for an acute stress disorder suffered by the patient as a result of learning of a small chance he had contracte

A lawyer who claimed he was suffering from “sexsomnia” when he molested two schoolchildren and raped their older sister has been convicted of sexual abuse. Andrew Lingard had denied the historical offences, claiming that he had a condition that makes sufferers unaware of what they do whi

Land managers will be given more powers to help control Scotland’s rapidly growing deer population after updated rules were introduced to Holyrood this week. The changes to existing laws aim to make it easier to reduce unsustainable deer numbers in order to protect plant life and boost rewildi

Two lawyers and a law firm who cited fake court cases generated by ChatGPT have been fined $5,000 (around €4,600 or £3,900). Judge P. Kevin Castel, in Manhattan, said there was nothing "inherently improper" about using AI to help write a legal filing, but lawyers have a responsibility to