News

The Scottish Law Commission’s annual report 2018 is published today. In 2018 the SLC published a report, two discussion papers and a joint consultation paper. It also embarked on the Tenth Programme of law reform. The new programme includes a wide range of work: on family law; on the law of ho

Lady Wolffe is to be the guest speaker at the Faculty of Advocates’ International Women’s Day event, when she pays tribute to pioneering women in the law and looks to the future. In the talk, International Women’s Day: Celebration and Challenges, Lady Wolffe will reflect on her own

Two English police officers who allegedly used police helicopters to film women having outdoor sex and sunbathing nude have appeared before a misconduct hearing. Serving officer Matthew Lucas, 43, and former officer Lee Walls, 48, both of South Yorkshire Police (SYP), are alleged to have breached th

A bill to allow drivers to run red lights during low traffic has been approved by US legislators. The proposed law was approved by 39-34 in the Utah House of Representatives.

The Criminal Appeal Court has reiterated its warning to defence lawyers over the “derogatory and insulting” questioning of rape complainers and criticised a judge for “wholly inappropriate” comments made about the evidence of a witness during the course of a trial.

The widow of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has been granted a declaration that the state has failed to deliver an Article 2 compliant investigation into the death of her husband, who was shot and killed by loyalist paramilitaries in collusion with the UK security forces. In a unanimous jud

A review of legal aid funding for families involved in fatal accident inquiries has been announced. Community Safety Minister Ash Denham told MSPs that a full consultation would be undertaken before this year's summer recess with a view to introducing a new legal aid bill.

Two-thirds (67 per cent) of the 6,736 hate crimes recorded in 2017-18 included a race aggravator, crime statistics published today show. Developing Information on Hate Crime Recorded by the Police in Scotland also shows that 16 per cent of hate crimes included a sexual orientation aggravat

The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has launched a landmark legal challenge before the High Court in London in a bid to extend collective bargaining rights for outsourced workers. The union is alleging that outsourced workers at the University of London are being denied their righ

Scottish law firms can find out more about their financial health by taking part in the Law Society of Scotland's 2019 Financial Benchmarking Survey, which opens today. The survey helps firms of all sizes, from sole practitioner and high street firms to larger commercial firms, assess their financia

Legal experts are to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Scottish Parliament at a seminar in Edinburgh next month. The creation of the Scottish Parliament radically transformed Scotland’s constitutional arrangements, bringing political deliberation, governmental accountability, and la

DWF's Scottish corporate team has advised Ipsum Group, backed by private equity fund Aliter Capital, on its third bolt-on acquisition, the purchase of drainage and maintenance company Euro Environmental Utilities Group Limited. This is the ninth deal closed by Aliter since the beginning of 2017.

A legal challenge against Uber's licence to operate in London has failed after judges in the High Court rejected claims of bias. Black cab drivers crowdfunded legal fees to argue that Uber's 15-month permit was decided by a magistrate who had a conflict of interest, which “tainted by actu

A federal US court has been rebuked for issuing a judgment by a dead judge. Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit was listed as the author of a majority opinion issued 11 days after his death, CNBC reports.

A former sheriff has been struck off the solicitors’ roll for a “catalogue of serious and reprehensible behaviour”. Hugh Neilson accepted that he was guilty of “professional misconduct” after a number of complaints from clients.