News

An Aberdeen-based IT company has successfully appealed against a decision of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission after it dismissed a complaint the company made against a firm of solicitors that it had instructed. Aberdeen Computer Services Ltd ultimately agreed twelve issues of

The Scottish Parliament should be able to pass a law to hold an independence referendum without the consent of the UK government, a judge in the Court of Session has heard. Declarator to this effect is being sought by Martin James Keatings. He also argues that no amendment would need to be made of t

More than 4,000 digital files stolen from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in a cyber attack over Christmas have now been illegally published online after the public body rejected a ransom demand.

Scottish Labour has criticised the Scottish government’s refusal to support the Culpable Homicide (Scotland) Bill after the stage one debate at Holyrood. The bill, introduced to the Scottish Parliament in 2019 by Scottish Labour’s Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker, sought to ensure

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published proposals to introduce a price cap on the fees claims management companies (CMCs) charge their customers in relation to claims for financial products and services. Some consumers currently pay fees of more than 40 per cent of the redress they recei

Lesley Weber has been appointed to the Scottish Sentencing Council as its new victims expert member. Ms Weber, who is the head of effective practice at the Risk Management Authority (RMA), is a qualified social worker specialising in children and families, domestic abuse and violence against women a

Whether UK employers require staff to be vaccinated is a question that has been doing the rounds since the Pfizer vaccine became available. My experience is that clients start the discussion thinking that they might want to mandate, or very actively encourage employees to be vaccinated, but having h

The British Army was "unjustified" in shooting an unarmed and innocent Co Tyrone farmer in cold blood in 1974, the first legacy inquest held under the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland's five-year plan has concluded. Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan yesterday delivered her findings and verdict follow

The first session of the Scottish Young Lawyers' Association (SYLA) Ethics Conference was a success with over 130 people in attendance. Laila Kennedy, SYLA treasurer and trainee solicitor at Ledingham Chalmers LLP, said: "Members heard from three fantastic speakers – Stephen McLaren of Ledingh

The Amalgamated Briefing Paper on Restarting Solemn Trials has been updated.  Practitioners may wish to note that the written direction on corroboration has been updated. The following wording has been added at Part B(4):

An extremist hate group in the US has been threatened with legal action for using a logo that resembles the Johnnie Walker whisky “Striding Man” image. The Proud Boys were seen at a pro-gun rally in Richmond, Virginia with merchandise that displayed a logo similar to the striding man but

The Scottish Young Lawyers' Association (SYLA) is to host an event for people seeking a criminal traineeship. The Scottish government recently announced grants which will part-fund up to 40 legal aid traineeships and this event will offer invaluable tips and advice about looking for a criminal train

City dwellers who relocate to rural France will not be able to complain about the sound of church bells or the smell of manure under a new law. A bill to restrict the ability of urban incomers to take court action over "a little nuisance" has now cleared both houses of the French parliament, The Tim

A judge in the Outer House of the Court of Session has refused a man’s petition for his brother and sister-in-law to be removed as executors of his late father’s estate and the executry completed by an appointed judicial factor.  Grame Campbell, one of two sons of the late

Many Scots lawyers would like to see the salutation 'Dear Sirs' dropped from usage in favour of others that recognise that not all lawyers are men, a survey by Scottish Legal News has found.