News

A lack of data on prisoner characteristics is providing an incomplete picture of who dies in prison and why, which may be contributing to preventable deaths in custody, according to a new report. In the report – How recording inequalities can reduce prisoner deaths – a team of experts fr

Law firms across the country are being encouraged to join this year's Will Aid campaign, using their legal expertise to help thousands of people make a will while raising vital funds for charities supporting vulnerable people in the UK and around the world. Will Aid is an annual charity will-writing

Watermans has appointed Colin Higgins as its first chief operating officer. Mr Higgins, who this year celebrated two decades of employment in the business, most recently held the role of head of finance at the firm. The internal promotion will see him take charge of day-to-day operations, finance an

Ann McKechin has been appointed as chair of the Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel, tasked with leading the panel’s work to champion consumer interests within legal services regulation and to make recommendations for improvement. A former MP and minister, she has experience of working with

A couple have been left facing legal costs of around £150,000 after losing an appeal in a 14-year dispute with their neighbours over a garden fence, an ornamental squirrel and offensive songs posted on YouTube. Philip and Denise New became embroiled in a long-running row with neighbours Steve

CMS is to launch a series of events starting later this month connecting company founders, investors, business leaders and advisers from across Scotland's innovation ecosystem. The equIP Collective will feature expert insights, thought leadership, practical discussion and networking opportunities to

NatureScot has refused permission for Scotland's annual guga hunt to go ahead this year, marking the first time in the tradition's more than 500-year history that it has been halted on conservation grounds. The hunt sees ten men from Ness on the Isle of Lewis travel to the remote island of Sula Sgei

Anderson Strathern has appointed trusts and private wealth disputes specialist Sarah-Jane Macdonald as a partner within its dispute resolution team. Ms Macdonald joins the firm as it expands its contentious trusts and estates practice in response to increasing demand for advice in Scotland, driven b

With just six weeks to go, anticipation is building for the 23rd Annual Scottish Legal Awards, sponsored by Denovo, taking place on Thursday 17 September at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow Central.

A man linked to serious organised crime who helped co-ordinate a £14 million drugs-trafficking scheme has been sentenced to more than five years in prison. Evidence gathered by prosecutors showed how John Gray, 53, of Paisley, played a key role in the widespread operation over the course of fi

New legal provisions that help some domestic abuse victims to remain in their home have come into effect. They allow social landlords, in certain circumstances, to apply for a court order on domestic abuse grounds to end an abuser’s tenancy.

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission has appointed three law firms to its advisory and litigation panel following a competitive tender process. Brodies, Burness Paull, and Harper Macleod were appointed to the panel, which will provide legal services to the SLCC from 1 October 2026 for four years

BTO has appointed Alan Gilfillan, an experienced corporate lawyer and accredited charity law specialist, as a partner in its corporate team. Mr Gilfillan brings more than 15 years’ experience in corporate and charity law and is one of only seven lawyers in Scotland accredited by the Law Societ

The number of High Court venues will increase by four from January 2027. In addition to the current 10 venues, the High Court will now sit in Airdrie, Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Glasgow Sheriff Courts. The expansion will allow up 26 trials a day compared to 16 at the start of this decade. An additio

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a package of reforms designed to improve transparency, strengthen access to market-wide information and support confidence in UK equity markets. The package confirms the framework for a future equity consolidated tape, consults on targeted market s