Opinion

Malcolm Combe, a senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and chair of the Scottish University Law Clinic Network, discusses the most recent gathering of law clinic experts. On 6 June 2018, students and staff from seven of Scotland’s universities met at the University of Dundee for the se

Elizabeth Comerford discusses the strategies cybercriminals use against lawyers and some of the precautions firms can take. Cyber fraud is a continuing, ever-evolving and increasingly sophisticated threat to the legal profession. In December 2016, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (the regulator i

It will be interesting to see whether the recent English case of Parkhurst Road Limited v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Another heard in the High Court at the end of April this year will have any impact in Scotland, writes Stephanie Mackenzie. The High Court upheld th

Fraser Sutherland, campaigns manager at Humanist Society Scotland, calls for dead letter blasphemy laws to be scrapped. Last week when talking to friends about the campaign work Humanist Society Scotland, they expressed surprise that Scotland still has a common law offence against blasphemy. To be f

Bonar Mercer looks at a fresh consultation on proposed reforms to the limited partnerships regime. Scottish Limited Partnership (SLPs) (as well as English Limited Partnerships) are a type of business structure formed under the Limited Partnership Act 1907. Unlike English Limited Partnership, SLPs ha

Carole Ford makes the case for fixed fees and greater pricing transparency in the solicitors' profession. Would you be more likely to seek advice from a solicitor if you knew what it was going to cost? Would more information about pricing improve access to justice? Is it possible to provide a fixed

Public law expert Lynda Towers provides a realistic overview of where we are on the path to Brexit. For some of us there is something comforting about putting together a list of things which need to be done and by when. There is then the satisfaction of ticking the items off as done and seeing the l

Matthew Stimson considers the ramifications of the Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill. On 17 May 2018, the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee published its Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

Andrew Foyle reflects on the significance of a recent Appeal Court judgment for future Simple Procedure claims. An Appeal Court judgment delivered last week by Sheriff Principal M M Stephen QC may have a significant impact on future Simple Procedure claims.

The face of UKCS contracting is changing, and rapidly so with the introduction of the Oil and Gas Authority in October 2016. Laura Petrie considers whether mutual indemnities remain beneficial to all parties. To set the scene, the 2016 Court of Appeal decision in Transocean Drilling UK Ltd v Provide

Four panellists from the Brexit and Family Law Group were invited to speak to MEPs and Permanent Representatives from the EU member states at the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday. The session, hosted by Catherine Bearder MEP and the Joint Brussels Office of the Law Societies, saw

Rebecca Barrass looks at the litigation surrounding the Glendoe Hydro-Electric Scheme In January 2009, energy giant SSE started operating the Glendoe Hydro-Electric Scheme. Opened officially by the Queen later that year, the scheme was cited as one of Scotland’s biggest civil engineering proje

Amanda Masson, partner in the family law team at Harper Macleod, writes on a first-of-its-kind Scottish court case on legal parenthood. A recent decision at Edinburgh Sheriff Court considered interesting issues about legal parenthood which it is anticipated will become more common as alternative fam

Andy Drane, partner at Davidson Chalmers, writes on new arrangements affect GPs and GP premises. In Scotland new General Medical Services and Section 17C Contracts for GPs came into force on 1st April 2018. These Contracts seek to implement the agreement reached between Scottish Government and the B

Garry Ferguson, member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers committee and partner at BTO Solicitors, writes on the new Civil Litigation Bill. On 1 May 2018, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Bill. Its provisions will be brought i