News

Five new Scottish judges have been appointed and will take up position next year. Her Majesty the Queen, on the recommendation of First Minister, has appointed Douglas Fairley QC, Anna Poole QC, Sean Smith QC, Sheriff Robert Weir QC, and Sheriff Peter Braid as Senators of the College of Justice.

A Holyrood committee has welcomed confirmation from the Scottish government that it will introduce primary legislation to allow any future referendum on independence to take place. In its stage 1 report on the Referendums (Scotland) Bill, the Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee recommen

Internet giants Facebook and Google pose a systemic threat to human rights because of their "surveillance-based business models", Amnesty International has warned in a new report. The human rights group's Surveillance Giants report argues that the companies "control the primary channels that people

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has succeeded in a legal case against an Australian drinks maker which was selling a product it labelled as "Scotch", The Scotsman reports. D’Aquino Bros Pty Ltd claimed its Black Scot whisky was produced in Scotland, though it is believed to be produced in

A law firm must pay damages to the estate of a late coal miner who missed a chance of claiming compensation because he was given negligent advice, the Supreme Court has ruled. Arthur Watkins was an employee of British Coal from 1964 to 1985 and, as a result, developed the condition known as vibratio

The Scottish Legal Action Group (SCOLAG) has announced the launch of a new reduced cost student membership with the support of the Faculty of Advocates. Law students will now be able to become members of SCOLAG and receive access to its monthly legal journal for the annual cost of £10 per annu

Edinburgh Law School alumna Karina McTeague will join this year’s graduands to receive an honorary doctor of laws at the university’s graduation ceremony on Saturday. Ms McTeague graduated from Edinburgh Law School with an LLB in the 1980s and has had a distinguished career in law a

The European Convention on Human Rights Law Review now has an online submission system.

Aberdein Considine has been named UK Law Firm of the Year at a lender industry award ceremony in London. The Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards – which took place in Kensington last night - celebrate the best of the British banking and financial services sector.

A judge has ruled that dozens of ducks can keep on quacking in spite of complaints from a neighbour. The fate of 60 ducks and geese living in an enclosure kept by retired farmer Dominique Douthe was momentarily up in the air.

Judges presiding over solemn cases have been reminded not to take over the role of “cross-examiner” of witnesses, particularly in trials involving allegations of serious sexual offending. The Criminal Appeal Court warned that judges who repeatedly intervene by questioning a wit

Two men found guilty of producing psychoactive substances on an industrial scale following the introduction of new legislation to tackle the rising use of so-called “legal highs” have had appeals against their convictions rejected. Scott McGaw was sentenced to five years’ impr

A whisky producer is being sued by an American firm which claims the Scottish company has infringed its trademark. A lawsuit brought against Highland Park claims the expression "bears a similar design and overall appearance" to its own labels, BBC Scotland reports.

The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) Committee has issued a public call for evidence on proposed legislation which would allow the continued operation of the European Union (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during a post-Brexit transition period. The REC Committee

Family law expert Alasdair Loudon has joined Gilson Gray as a consultant. A former partner and head of family law at Turcan Connell, Mr Loudon has nearly 40 years of experience in the field.