News

The flexibility of the British constitution, once thought to be such a strength, has played a large part in destroying the country. In this edited version of a recent lecture delivered in Cambridge, Professor Conor Gearty (LSE) explains why he now believes more than ever that only the experience of

A Singapore-based banker who raised an action for damages in Scotland following a refusal by the Court of Appeal in London to refer a question of EU law to the European Court of Justice, after his claim for unfair dismissal in the UK employment tribunal was rejected on the grounds that the tribunal

MSPs have said they should be given a formal role in ensuring the new Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) follows its long-term mission. The recommendation was made in a unanimous cross-party report on the law enabling the new public sector lender, from Holyrood’s Economy Committee.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday solicitors Rona Macleod and Alastair Houston from the Legal Services Agency and advocate Adrian Stalker represented five asylum seeking clients who had received eviction notices from housing provider, Serco, and who were at risk of having their locks being changed.

The Serious Fraud Office has fined a subsidiary of Serco Group £19.2 million. The SFO announced a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with Serco Geografix Limited (SGL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Serco Group.

International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is to be the first occupier at GSS Development’s 2 Semple Street Grade A office in Edinburgh’s Exchange District. WBD has agreed to take the entire first floor (7357 sq ft) of the 39,347 sq ft building as it ramps up its presence in the

A majority of responses to the Scottish charity law consultation support changes aimed at increasing transparency, accountability and public trust in charities. The consultation suggested an external register of charity trustees; publishing annual reports and accounts in full for all charities on th

The Supreme Court has allowed the appeal in the case of Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd, in what may be welcome news to employers, writes Jennifer Skeoch. Egon Zehnder (EZ), a professional services firm, specialises in executive search and recruitment. Ms Tillman was employed by them until January 2017.

The Scottish and Welsh governments are urging an end to delays in reforming their relationship with Westminster. In a joint letter to Cabinet Minister David Lidington, they call for immediate steps to improve the current “weak and ineffective” government structures, guarantee respect for

The Scottish Law Commission's legal assistants and commissioner Kate Dowdalls QC attended the Queen's Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse yesterday.

An independent investigation has found that police were justified in using a Taser device on a 20-year-old man who they feared may harm himself. Officers went to a house in Bannockburn at around midnight on Saturday 30 March 2019, following reports that a man was in possession of a knife. Based on t

Thieves who broke into the cellar of a luxury restaurant in Paris have stolen 150 bottles of wine estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of euros. Staff at the Maison Rostang restaurant, which has two Michelin stars and is described by the food guide as having a “magnificent” wine l

Two cyclists who fell from their bikes while crossing tram tracks in Edinburgh have been awarded undisclosed damages. Elizabeth Fairley and Ian Lowdean sued Edinburgh Trams Limited, Transport Initiatives Edinburgh and Edinburgh City Council after being injured in f

The Scottish government is consulting on regulations to bring into force Part 5 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016, the right to buy land to further sustainable development. Part 5 of the 2016 Act creates a process by which local, place-based communities can seek to acquire a righ

A senior Scottish police officer has called for an overhaul of the UK's drugs regime. Steve Johnson, an assistant chief constable, said the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was a relic “ripe for reform” as he backed the use of safe injecting rooms, The Times reports.