Practice
Stepping Up
The Journal spoke to new president, Susan Murray, on building her career from a level playing field and the importance of representing the Society and its members.
Rise of the machines
We spoke to Fiona Chute – litigation lawyer with Brodies and one of the Law Society of Scotland’s accredited legal technologists – about the ever-developing importance of ‘lawtech’.
Breaking the cycle of crime?
Research shows that 70% of the public don’t know what community justice is or even means, so a short film has been launched to raise awareness about the benefits.
2025 court dates
The Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde has published the court holidays and custody court arrangements for 2025.
Scotland at the forefront of children’s rights
The UNCRC Bill was passed unanimously in Scottish Parliament last year, receiving Royal Assent on 16 January 2024, and coming into force on 16 July 2024. What does its enactment mean for practitioners and children?
Detail and discretionary interpretation
The Lands Tribunal for Scotland handed down the first judgment in the UK on the requirements to validly serve a Notice to end an agreement under the Electronic Communications Code.
OPG update
The Office of the Public Guardian would like to make Society members aware of two recent developments. The first on interpretation and the second on fees for partial revocations.
Navigating transgender legal rights
Navigating transgender legal rights: Scottish perspectives on gender recognition and family law
Familiar faces not welcome
Is the guidance as to who may act as an appropriate adult at police station interviews unduly restrictive in relation to mental health support workers?
Time for change
In light of John Swinney becoming the new Scottish First Minister earlier this month, Christine O’Neill KC and Emily Tarbet explore the legal and constitutional issues that arise when change occurs.
Looking ahead to the future
In Sheila’s final column as President, she highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion, alongside the ‘incredible work of the Lawscot Foundation’.
If you don’t ask, you don’t get!
A recent Inner House decision, Murdoch v Murdoch, has turned two broadly accepted principles regarding craves on their head.
Digging deep
An award-winning professional investigator shares how covert intelligence can span countries and provide law firms with support across multiple practice areas.
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Asylum following gender-based torture
Over 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation - a 15% increase compared to eight years ago. But what happens when they later try to claim asylum?
Getting the message across
As we enter a change in president this month, let’s look back to when Caroline Flanagan became the first female president of the Society.
Keeping tenant farming on track
Some argue that the steadily declining number of agricultural tenancies in Scotland are a direct result of competing rights between tenants and landlords.
SSDT Decision May
Read the latest decision from the SSDT as well as links back to other recent decisions.
Learning disabilities, victims bill and conversion practices
It has been another busy month for the Society committees as they support and spearhead policy change on incredibly important topics, such as ending conversion practices.
Retail reform
The Scottish Law Commission is asking whether the Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Act 1949 has outlived its usefulness and, if so, what rights a tenant should have?
Technology and the courts
From remote courts to paperless proceedings, the use of technology has changed considerably, and even more so since the pandemic. Is this way of conducting proceedings here to stay?
Scottish Law Commission seeks comments on tenement law reform
The Scottish Law Commission has published its Discussion Paper consulting on reform of the law of the tenement.
Taxation across borders
The issue surrounding what and how much a taxpayer should be paying in the UK is a frequent topic of debate, but it becomes even more complex when said taxpayer starts to operate in more than one jurisdiction.
SLCC publishes a budget for a time of uncertainty
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has laid its budget for 2024-25 before parliament after the SLCC Board approved its draft budget unchanged following a statutory consultation.