Opinion

Rachael Kelsey, a director at SKO Family Law Specialists, will be writing regular updates for Scottish Legal News in coming weeks, dealing with the specifics of the Brexit implications for family law. Here, Rachael gives a general overview of where we are with the three most likely political outcome

Sheriff Ross Macfarlane QC, artistic director of the Faculty of Advocates choir, writes on the humble beginnings of its annual Christmas carol charity fundraiser. It all started so innocently… November 1996: I was a fairly new advocate and having a cup of tea in the advocates’ reading r

Tony McGlennan, legal director at Addleshaw Goddard, writes on a new crackdown on nuisance phone calls. The frustrating feeling of your day being interrupted by a nuisance sales call, or your inbox filling with spam emails is something with which most of us are all too familiar. Whether it’s P

Kate Fergusson, head of responsible business at Pinsent Masons, reflects on the international law firm's fundraising work in Scotland. This season of goodwill brings out the best in people and evidence is all around us when you consider the huge number of charitable initiatives which come to the for

Seosamh Gráinséir, writing for "Irish Legal Heritage" in our sister publication Irish Legal News, reflects on 'pitchcapping', a gruesome practice which may interest readers in Scotland. During the United Irishman Rebellion of 1798, one of the forms of torture used by the British on sus

Jennifer Broatch and Maria Gravelle look at the provisions of the new domestic abuse legislation. Domestic abuse can describe a multitude of behaviour, from physical violence to exercising total control over a partner’s everyday life. Yet, the current law in Scotland only recognises the physic

Alan Meek analyses the Court of Appeal case of Global Corporate Limited v Dirk Stefan Hale. The original decision of HH Judge Paul Matthews last year in this case had been the subject of considerable adverse comment but has now been overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Colin Hulme comments on what new intellectual property data reveals. A recent report by the UK Intellectual Property Office confirms what we have already known: that designs are a key part of our economy in the UK. The report discloses that as of 2015, the UK design economy was worth six per cent of

John Forsyth writes... I was interested by the your recent piece on Peterhead Prison and its mention of the legendary safe-cracker Johnny Ramensky who, among other things, was the last man to be shackled in a Scottish prison.

Blackadders' Simon Allison and Duncan Milne discuss the expectations of millennials in the workplace.  What is a “millennial”, and why are they different?

Stephen Tierney, professor of constitutional theory at Edinburgh University, comments on today's Brexit judgment from the CJEU. The Court of Justice of the European Union today issued its judgment in Wightman. It endorsed the opinion of Advocate General Campos Sánchez-Bordona to the effect th

Proposed reforms to Scotland’s culpable homicide laws aim to make it easier for businesses or organisations to be held to account if they cause deaths, writes James Varney. While the differences between Scots law and English law run deep – from the origins of some of our rules in Roman l

Alan McIntosh discusses a recent case, in which he was involved, at Greenock Sheriff Court that raised some interesting questions about the effects of Time Orders under section 129 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. A hearing is scheduled for later this month. The Facts

Professor Steven Peers of University of Essex School of Law explains and comments on today's opinion from Advocate General Sánchez-Bordona on the revocability of Article 50. Was sending the Article 50 notification of withdrawal from the EU like jumping off a cliff – impossible to c

Ross Caldwell comments on the demotion of floating charge holders that will follow the reinstatement of Crown preference in 2020. Amidst all the hype attending the recent Budget about the £20bn windfall which befell the Exchequer and was thereafter shovelled towards the NHS, one could be forgi