News

Anxious householders could be further confused by mixed messaging after the Scottish government confirmed it will seek to delay legislation on fire safety standards, according to a legal expert. The new laws, which were scheduled to come in force in February 2021, would require all homes t

Insurance risk and commercial law specialist BLM has celebrated success in the first post-lockdown proof trial at Perth Sheriff Court. Kelly Brotherhood, an associate at the firm, acted for 1st Central on behalf of a customer (the defender), in a trial heard by Sheriff Wade last month.

The Ampersand Advocates Bitesized webinar series continues tomorrow with Archie MacSporran discussing complications of accommodation costs, following the recent Swift v Carpenter judgment. Mr MacSporran will discuss out how to value an accommodation claim with an analysis of the Court of A

The International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and the Scottish Arbitration Centre have announced that the XXVth ICCA Congress has been re-scheduled from February 2021 to 26-29 September 2021 in Edinburgh.  Lucy Reed, president of ICCA, said: “We have been monitoring the Covi

Terra Firma Chambers has maintained its Band 1 rankings for Planning and Environmental Law, Agriculture & Rural Affairs and Tax in the latest edition of Chambers & Partners UK Directory and received praise for its ‘first class’ service. Described as ‘the market leader

Shared Parenting Scotland is launching a series of online, interactive training courses to help separated parents control their own stress and to improve their communication skills.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) procurement team has been selected as one of the five finalists in the ‘Procurement Team of the Year’ category at GO Awards Scotland. The nomination highlights how the procurement function at SCTS has developed over the last couple of

As a 17-year-old, I first met the late, great, and sadly missed David Lessels (1949-2018) at a law school information day. I brashly declared I would become an advocate. He smiled wryly. Fast forward several penniless years to my traineeship. At last I was earning. Two years later, I even had some m

Human rights group Reprieve has condemned the United Arab Emirates' threat to forcibly repatriate 18 Yemeni former Guantánamo detainees - which has been confirmed by multiple sources who spoke to the Associated Press. Forced disappearance and torture are rife in Yemen, as the UN recently repo

Judges in Wales can order criminals who commit alcohol-fuelled crimes to wear a "sobriety tag" from today under a scheme due to be extended to England early next year. The legislation underpinning the new tags came into force across England and Wales in May, having been piloted in London, Humberside

A reader spotted this sign in St Andrews and wonders if the tree surgeons are former police officers.

A fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of four people in a North Sea helicopter accident has concluded with a declaration that the deaths could not have been avoided in the circumstances. George Allison, Sarah Darnley, Gary McCrossan, and Duncan Munro were travelling to Shetland in

Lord Hope of Craighead has warned that the UK government "will bring our precious union to an end" if it is not "very careful". The former Deputy President of the Supreme Court and Lord President of the Court of Session was speaking in the House of Lords on the devolution aspects of the Internal Mar

A climbdown by the Scottish government on the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill has been confirmed by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf. The 'stirring up' offence in the bill has now been limited to situations where 'intent' is present. The bill previously stated that an offence would al

Thorntons has welcomed eight newly qualified solicitors across four of its offices following a two-year traineeship.