News

True power rests in "the Prime Minister in the Commons", a peer and former judge has said. Lord Judge, former lord chief justice of England and Wales and current convenor of Parliament's cross-bench peers, delivered The Selden Society Inns of Court annual history lecture on 1 November.

A UK subsidiary of the mining company Glencore has been told to pay more than £275 million after it bribed officials in African countries in order to access oil. The company paid $26m (£23m) through agents to officials of crude oil firms in Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast between 2011

Homes are selling quickly and a high level of home report valuations are being achieved, the latest data from ESPC shows. In August-October 2022, sales volumes across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders reduced by 4.3 per cent annually, while new property listings were up 0.5 per cent.

The Sheriff Appeal Court has upheld the decision of a summary sheriff that evidence of receipt of a service notice was necessary with any execution of postal service in simple procedure actions where no response is made by the respondent party. Appellant Cabot Financial (UK) Ltd sought decree of pay

Christmas is coming, and with it winter – which will be even harder than usual for vulnerable families given the current cost-of-living crisis gripping the country. As in previous years, the Faculty of Advocates is stepping up to make a difference through the annual Faculty Christmas Collectio

Stephen Dick has joined Gilson Gray as a partner. Mr Dick has more than two decades of experience in the property sector and joins Gilson Gray from DLA Piper, where his client base included a range of high-profile investors, developers, landlords, and occupiers. He also previously spent six years wo

The International Bar Association (IBA) has announced that it will establish a new committee – the Forum for Government and Public Lawyers. Andrew Mackenzie and Federica D’Alessandra, both members of the Section on Public and Professional Interest Council, will establish and co-chair the

Cats could provide crucial evidence in criminal trials, researchers have suggested – because their fur collects human DNA. Forensic scientists at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia have shown for the first time that household cats are covered in human DNA, mostly from the people

The Scottish Information Commissioner has reported a significant increase in the number of appeals made from people who are unhappy with a Scottish public authority’s handling of a freedom of information (FOI) request. The commissioner’s latest report reveals that, during 2021-22, he rec

Andrew Blain has been re-elected as managing partner of Shepherd and Wedderburn from 1 May 2023. Mr Blain was first elected managing partner in 2019 after joining Shepherd and Wedderburn in 1989 and becoming a partner in 1996. He led the firm's corporate practice from 2009 until 2019.

Susie Mountain takes a look at a new report on cohabitation. The Scottish Law Commission has published its Report on Cohabitation. The report considers how the existing law governing the rights of cohabitants on separation might be revised and follows a lengthy consultation process with solicitors,

CMS has advised shareholders of Flotation Energy Limited (Flotation) on its cross-border sale to the renewable power division of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) Incorporated. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, TEPCO is Japan’s largest utility company.

BTO has welcomed Cat MacLean as a partner. She will join the firm’s dispute resolution team in Edinburgh on 14 November. A well-respected legal practitioner, Ms MacLean practised at the bar for 10 years before leading a dispute resolution team in a commercial law firm. She has extensive experi

A Northern Ireland-style parades commission is not necessary in Scotland, according to a new report. The creation of a commission was mooted last year after police made arrests at a series of Orange Walks in Glasgow.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has asked Elena Whitham MSP to join the Scottish government as minister for community safety and legal affairs. Ms Whitham will replace Ash Regan, who resigned over her opposition to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.