News

David Fisken has been elected president of the Glasgow Bar Association. Mr Fisken is a partner at Murphy, Robb & Sutherland in Glasgow.

A former tennis player who claimed a newspaper had defamed him in a story that mentioned his tax affairs has failed in his Article 8 appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. The court found that as the newspaper article had been a mixture of value judgment and supported factual statements, it h

An expert group convened to help design the principles of a new model to challenge men’s demand for prostitution met for the first time today. The model aims to reduce stigma and criminalisation experienced by women and encourage better access to services and support.

Households experiencing financial difficulties are being offered support through a new website. The Money Support Scotland website, funded by the Scottish government, will point users to a range of organisations committed to promoting the take up of social security benefits, free debt advice and acc

Barbados has become the world's newest republic after formally breaking ties with the British monarchy while remaining in the Commonwealth of Nations. Dame Sandra Mason, a Barbadian lawyer and former judge who served as governor-general of Barbados from 2018, has assumed the presidency of the countr

Protestors demanding repairs to public toilets have stormed their town hall and urinated in all corners of it. Around 15 people took part in the novel protest at the municipal council office in Gadag-Betageri in the state of Karnataka in southern India.

A US-based non-profit organisation that challenged the approach of the Scottish Ministers to the making of Unexplained Wealth Orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has had its petition for judicial review refused by a judge in the Outer House of the Court of Session. The Avaaz Founda

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has published its annual report, showing strong overall performance. The 2020-21 SLCC annual report covers performance in the July 2020 to June 2021 operating year, and was laid before the Scottish Parliament today, along with the 2020-21 SLCC annual a

Kirsty Yuill takes a look at proposed new traffic rules. According to a 2021 study by Rooster Insurance, 46.6 per cent of drivers have never refreshed their knowledge of the Highway Code. Those road users will no doubt be surprised to hear that 33 of its rules have been updated and five other change

John Laurence Dowdall passed away peacefully on 10 November. He was the son of the late Laurence Dowdall, one of Scotland's greatest criminal defence lawyers. A notice in The Herald states: "Well known as a man of integrity, generosity and compassion, he will be much missed by his friends and those

Musab Hemsi has joined Anderson Strathern as a director in the firm’s employment law team. Mr Hemsi joins from LexLeyton, where he spearheaded the Glasgow team advising across the food and drink, retail, energy, construction, and digital technology sectors. His former clients include Holland &

Thompsons Solicitors Scotland has announced a round of new promotions. Jillian Merchant, Claire Campbell and Craig Smillie have been promoted to partner while Deirdre Flannigan has been promoted to associate.

How on earth can you defend self-regulation in this day and age? How can lawyers possibly be allowed to mark their own homework? In my time as convener of the Law Society’s Regulatory Committee, I’ve often heard these questions asked. They are also the easiest questions to answer. No, I

Philip Lafferty, Susan Murray and Sheila Webster have been nominated as 2023/24 president elect of the Law Society of Scotland. Council members will now vote for their preferred candidate and the result will be announced at the December 2021 meeting. The successful candidate will succeed current vic

Social media companies will have to hand over details of anonymous users who make defamatory posts under a new Australian law. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said legislation requiring Facebook and Twitter to reveal the identities of trolls would be introduced in the country's parliament this week.