Opinion

In the latest development concerning employment status and the rights of those working in the ‘gig economy’, courier giant Hermes has reached agreement with the GMB Union to offer its couriers the option of being classified as ‘self-employed plus’, writes Katie Spearman. &lsq

In fatal damages claims, blood relatives have always been entitled to claim solatium (loss of society) for the loss of the relationship. The current legislation, however, produces some interesting and surprising results where claims for loss of society are made by non-blood relatives, writes Jim Her

It has been five years since the Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Scotland) Act 2014 was passed. Marika Franceschi and Liusa Reid ask what, if anything, has changed?  On 12 March 2014, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act was brought into force, 10 years after the Civil Partnership

Donna Reynolds looks at how employers should handle workplace romances. With Valentine’s Day just behind us love is in the air and as the old adage goes, love knows no bounds; cupid’s arrow can – and does – strike in the workplace.

Jonathan Tait comments on a controversial EU directive aimed at protecting copyright holders. The monetisation of IP throughout internet usage has increased exponentially in recent times and introduction of the new snappily titled European Union Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market is

Jonathan Tait explains how firms can safeguard their reputations in the age of social media and fake news. The American business magnate and philanthropist Warren Buffet once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.”

Karyn McCluskey calls for an evidence-led approach towards cutting crime as an alternative to simply building more prisons. I’ve been engaging with lots of great modern studies students and teachers in Scotland. A few students tweeted about their essays on what we should do about the high

Garry Sturrock looks at the effects Scotland's new domestic abuse legislation will have on the law. In a landmark vote in the Scottish Parliament in February 2018, the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill (which promised to offer a tougher approach to the prosecution of domestic abuse in Scotland) was pas

Rob Marrs, head of education and Policy at the Law Society of Scotland, explains why it's keen to hear from BAME students, trainees or NQs who have had previous careers prior to studying law. In our recent ‘A blueprint for a more inclusive profession’ we noted that we would: Hold focus g

Advocate Michael Upton M.C.I.Arb., of Hastie Stable, summarises a recent judgment from the Sheriff Appeal Court on establishing a duty of care for economic loss in a case against an allegedly negligent search firm being pursued for damages by the holder of an inhibition, which the searchers allegedl

Lesley Gordon reviews the application of Scotland's cohabitation legislation in recent case law.  The number of cohabiting families in the UK has almost doubled in the last 20 years and, in 2006, Scotland led the way by introducing legal protection for cohabitants from unfair situations arising

Olivia Parker, careers development officer at the Law Society, talks about whether employers are really engaged with fair access and highlights some of the pitfalls that are still regularly identified in the traineeship recruitment process. In the three years I’ve been working in our careers t

The effects of a change in the law on workplace regulations introduced some five years ago are still to fully reveal themselves in Scotland, writes Lorna Ferguson. The Brexit story so far has involved fresh consideration of several long-standing legal, social and economic issues; an important one be

Brexit is starting to get real, with the detail of the ‘no deal’ provision being put in place. Continuing on from her earlier two articles on Brexit and family law (Part I, Part II), Rachael Kelsey now looks at what all family lawyers (specialists or those with a more general practice) n

Andrew Foyle considers the significance for the debt purchasing industry of a recent case that cast the spotlight on redacted and certified copy documents. Promontoria (Henrico) Limited v Friel ([2019] CSOH 2 – judgment of Lord Ericht, 8th January 2019)