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Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC has expressed her "conviction" that tackling domestic abuse will make Scotland a safer place for women and girls after new figures shows a 0.4 per cent increase in the number of charges reported to the Crown Office. In 2024-25, 30,227 charges related to domestic abuse w

The Council of Europe has released a new guide aimed at limiting the use of criminal law to restrict freedom of expression, warning against the growing trend of its disproportionate application.  The guide offers a detailed overview of the European Court of Human Rights’ case law, underli

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) has found “systemic failure” in the way a council handled the case of a 13-year-old girl who later died after her mother failed to seek medical treatment. Robyn Goldie died on 26 July 2018 from peritonitis caused by a perforated duodenal ulcer. Her mother,

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened war crimes proceedings against Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony in its first-ever confirmation of charges hearing held without the accused present. The move represents a historic step for the court and a potential test case for future prosecutions of

Scotland’s prison population has risen above the level that triggered the early release of hundreds of inmates earlier this year, with warnings that numbers could soon reach record highs. In February and March more than 300 prisoners, half of them serving sentences for violent offences, were r

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has raised "serious concerns" about the use of orders for lifelong restriction (OLRs) in Scotland. OLRs are indeterminate prison sentences imposed on people to protect the public from the risk of serious harm. They have no fixed release date and include lifelong

A man has been jailed indefinitely after sexually abusing two adolescent boys and a vulnerable man. James Grieve Donaldson, also known by the surname Murray, was found guilty of four charges following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Baroness Harman KC has warned that LinkedIn is being used as a “dating app” by predatory barristers. The former Labour deputy leader and ex-chair of the party conducted an independent review into bullying, harassment and sexual harassment at the English bar, commissioned by the Bar Counc

Police in the Czech Republic have arrested the man suspected of repeatedly driving a Formula 1-style racing car along a motorway since 2019. The distinctive red vehicle, in full Ferrari livery, was traced to a property in the village of Buk, around 60km south-west of Prague, following the latest rep

Kennedys has promoted two lawyers in Edinburgh as part of a global promotions round. Insurance lawyers Amy Dignan and Jenna Green have been promoted to legal director and senior associate respectively.

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM) has welcomed its largest ever cohort of trainees across its offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as five newly qualified solicitors. Among the firm’s newest five solicitors are Mairi Adams, who joins the private client team in Edinburgh, Robyn Bl

Burges Salmon has reported a 9.2 per cent increase in turnover, rising from £163 million to £178m for the financial year ending 30 April 2025. Net profit increased by 25 per cent from £50.5m to £63m, while profit per equity partner (PEP) remained at £660,000.

CMS is to host a free breakfast seminar next month which navigates the UK government’s decision on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) and its wider implications for the energy sector. The event, co-hosted with management consultancy Baringa, will take place on 23 September at

Austen commemoration on the wall of Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey, London Credit: JRennocks, CC BY-SA 4.0

BTO Solicitors LLP’s charity of the year, The House of Hope, hosted its first Gala Ball at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh last Friday.