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Scottish Legal News is pleased to report that Lord Uist's thoughtful article on the constitutionality or otherwise of juryless trials has been widely followed up and reported in The Times, The Scotsman, The Herald, The Press and Journal, the BBC, The Independent and STV, bringing this important lega

A new approach to equip justice agencies with the skills and knowledge needed to "reduce the re-traumatisation of victims and witnesses of crime" has been published today. It underpins a key aim of the Scottish government's Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, introduced last

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has today published a report on the initial engagement or ‘terms of business’ letters firms issue when instructed by a client. Looking at a sample of 80 letters, the SLCC considered to what extent they complied with Law Society of Scotland

Burness Paull has bolstered its rural business offering with the addition of a six-person team led by agriculture and estates specialist Linda Tinson. Ms Tinson has been appointed as a partner in Burness Paull’s real estate division and head of the firm’s expanded rural business practice

Burges Salmon has announced the appointment of AJ Venter as a partner in its corporate and M&A team based in Edinburgh. He joins Burges Salmon from Travers Smith, where he was senior counsel in the corporate M&A and equity capital markets group.

CMS has announced the promotion of Siobhan Kahmann to partner level. The Brussels-based competition and regulatory law specialist, who works across the Scottish marketplace, is among several new global partner promotions announced by the firm this year.

Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP has promoted seven of its lawyers to partner and 10 to legal director. The promotions took effect on 1 May.

Dear Editor, I applaud the reasoned contribution of Lord Uist to the proposals for juryless rape trials contained in the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

The Inner House of the Court of Session has reduced by one third an award of expenses due to be paid by an airline to a successful co-defender in an action raised by an injured passenger following a challenge to the determined expenses. It was not disputed that pursuer Colin Mather was entitled to h

Dear Editor, Discussion of dispensing with juries for trials for charges of rape and attempted rape should not disregard the fact that an absolute right to jury trial has been no part of our law in recent history, if ever.

A university is being sued by more than a dozen graduates who wrongly believed their financial planning course was accredited and would allow them to start their professional careers. The 18 graduates of James Cook University in Queensland, Australia are pursuing a class action against their alma ma

An­drew Steven­son considers the price we will pay by adopting virtual courts. Support within the UK for the principles of maintaining a system where justice is administered locally or in public was evaporating even before Covid-19; in the decade to 2020, more than half the Magistrates Court

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP has announced a string of promotions and appointments.

The process to appoint a new justice to sit in the UK Supreme Court has begun. As a result of the retirement of Lord Kitchin, applications are being sought for the appointment of a new justice, to take effect later this year.

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has launched a call for evidence on the role that lawyers’ conduct can play in the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). While the majority of NDAs are lawful and can legitimately be used to protect the confidentiality of sensitive business ideas and inform