Weekly roundup of Scots law in the headlines including SLCC process and Flamingo Land — Monday April 6

This week's review of all the latest headlines from the world of Scots law and beyond includes comments from the Society and SLCC about the complaints process as well as the latest on Flamingo Land plans.

SLCC welcomes sustained improvement on Society complaint timescales

A report by the SLCC on the Law Society of Scotland’s conduct investigations welcomes progress made on timescales and notes challenges and opportunities ahead.

The SLCC has published its final report on the Law Society of Scotland’s conduct complaint investigation timescales. The report calls on the Society to sustain the progress made and continue that momentum as new statutory powers come into force.

• SLCC welcomes sustained improvement on Society complaint timescales (SLCC)
• Law Society makes significant reduction in conduct complaint timescales (Law Society of Scotland)
• SLCC welcomes sustained improvement on Law Society complaint timescales (Scottish Legal News)

Developers to take rejection of Flamingo Land resort at Loch Lomond to court

The firm behind controversial proposals for a tourist resort on the shores of Loch Lomond is to appeal against the Scottish Government’s rejection, reports STV.

Lomond Banks, the operator of Yorkshire-based theme park Flamingo Land, planned to build a waterpark, two hotels, 104 lodges, a monorail, and a restaurant at in Balloch, West Dunbartonshire.

The £40 million proposal raised government concerns over the risk of flooding and the loss of woodland areas when it was rejected by ministers in February.

• Developers to take rejection of Flamingo Land resort at Loch Lomond to court (STV)
• £40m Loch Lomond Flamingo Land plans to be appealed by developers (Glasgow Times)
• [£] Scottish Flamingo Land resort developers to appeal rejection (National)
• Scottish Greens hit out over Flamingo Land court appeal (Dumbarton Reporter)
• Developers appeal rejection of Flamingo Land resort at Loch Lomond (BBC)
• Flamingo Land appeal ‘an insult’ to the community (Scottish Greens)

Mazur overturned: What you need to know

In a closely watched decision, the Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court ruling that cast doubt over how law firms use non-solicitors in litigation, handing a win to the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) and bringing clarity to an area of uncertainty, reports Non-Billable.

At the centre of the case was whether an unauthorised legal professional, including paralegals, trainees and legal executives, can carry out certain litigation tasks under supervision. 

• Mazur overturned: What you need to know (Non-Billable)
• The Hearing: Paralegals breathe a sigh of relief after Mazur judgment (The Lawyer)
• [£] Legal executives breathe sigh of relief after Mazur ruling (Times)
• [£] Court of Appeal rules non-lawyers can work on litigation cases (Financial Times)
• Mazur: a “storm in a teacup”? Not quite! (Clyde & Co)
• Mazur: a symptom not a cause? (Legal Futures)
• As it happened: Mazur judgment - CILEX wins appeal (Gazette)

And in other news

Legal headlines from across the UK and beyond:

• Full Colour Black Limited -v- The artist known as “Banksy” and another (Courts and Tribunals Judiciary)
• Brothel boss barred from becoming Edinburgh landlord (BBC)
• Warm clothing handed out to detainees in cold court custody cells (BBC)
• The UK has a chance to pioneer pornography regulation – it must take it — Susanna Rustin (Guardian)
• Japan allows divorced couples to negotiate joint custody of children for first time (Guardian)
• An angry prince and leaky friends: key moments in the Daily Mail hacking trial (Guardian)
• [£] Q&A: Andrew Slight on prosecuting teenager for murdering mother with hammer (Times)
• [£] Questions over litigation funding’s future after giant takes hit (Times)
• [£] Gaps in image protection as reform stalls (Times)
• [£] Solicitors regulator to investigate fewer cases after complaints rise (Financial Times)
• [£] The City law firm that found wealth in private capital (Financial Times)
• [£] Ex-lawyer emerges as matchmaker to law firms and former colleagues (Financial Times)