News

Solicitors in England and Wales have been advised to stop using "Dear Sirs" at the start of correspondence. The traditional greeting is "no longer accurate, representative or appropriate in today's diverse society", according to new guidance issued by the Law Society of England and Wales.

Northern Ireland's top community radio station for the LGBT+ community says it has been left "truly baffled" after a regulator ruled that it does not broadcast enough LGBT+ content. Ofcom found that Juice FM Belfast is more like a "general service broadcasting a very limited amount of specialist pro

The Tumbling Lassie Foundation is partnering with the University of Glasgow for a special event marking 10 years since the enactment of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015. Panel Discussion – Thursday 23 October, 6:00 PM at the University of Glasgow’s ARC Building,

Lanarkshire law firm Ness Gallagher Solicitors has appointed solicitor Ailie Lothian and opened a new office in Lanark. Ms Lothian brings a wealth of experience to the role, with particular expertise in family law, conveyancing, wills and powers of attorney, guardianships, compromise agreements and

The critical importance of the rule of law and ethical considerations for the legal professions were central themes at the Law Society of Scotland's annual conference. Around 1,000 Law Society members and others attended either online or in person at the Edinburgh International Conference and Exhibi

The Crown Office has lodged a first notice to begin the court process for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the death of 38-year-old Stewart Glancy. Mr Glancy was a prisoner within HMP Addiewell who died on 20 June 2020. 

A campaign south of the border is seeking justice for 17th century wrongs. On 30 July 1652, seven women were executed by hanging on Penenden Heath in Maidstone, Kent. Witch trials were commonplace in 17th-century England, but it was rare for so many to be condemned together. 

Italy did not violate Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights by removing a woman from the birth certificate of a child born in Italy to same-sex parents by means of assisted reproduction abroad, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The court last week handed down its 6-1 major

Our weekly round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Human Rights Watch sounds alarm over China's new draft 'ethnic unity' law

A lawyer who hurled his shoe at India's chief justice – and missed – was removed from court and suspended from practice. Rakesh Kishore took offence after Chief Justice BR Gavai dismissed a petition demanding the restoration of a seven-foot statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu as "purely pub

Solicitor Moira Sibbald has been appointed as the new chair of Places for People's board. Ms Sibbald joined the PfP Scotland board in February 2021 and brings a wealth of experience across multiple sectors to her new leadership role.

Harper Macleod has been appointed as sole legal adviser to Shire Housing Association (SHA) following a competitive tender process. The appointment will see Harper Macleod’s public sector real estate and housing team provide legal support across a range of areas as SHA continues to grow its org

Proposed legislation which aims to recognise digital assets as property in law will be scrutinised by a Holyrood committee. The Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee has launched a call for views on the Scottish government’s Digital Assets (Scotland) Bill.

More than 40 lawyers from across the globe traded boardrooms for wellies this week, teaming up with Morton Fraser MacRoberts (MFMac) and the Water of Leith Conservation Trust (WOLCT) for a morning of hands-on volunteering.

A new bill to regulate some of the most commonly performed non-surgical procedures has been published by Holyrood. If passed, the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill will regulate the provision of certain non-surgical cosmetic and wellbeing procedures to ensure