Weekly roundup of Scots law in the headlines including Murrell latest and solicitor rival AI — Monday June 8

You weekly roundup of Scots law in the headlines including the latest fallout from the Peter Murrell SNP embezzlement case as well as a huge cash injection into AI software which could rival solicitors.

Edinburgh-based legal AI firm Wordsmith raises $70m for huge scale-up

Edinburgh-headquartered Wordsmith AI, the fast-growing legaltech start-up, has announced $70 million (£52m) new funding to continue its scale up, reports The Scotsman.

The funding from Highland Europe and Index Ventures among others comes alongside an expansion of Wordsmith’s product and new enterprise customer wins, including Sage and Starling. It follows a year of rapid growth for Wordsmith which is now used by more than 500 companies, including BT, Financial Times, Safelite, Trip.com, and Canva.

• Edinburgh-based legal AI firm Wordsmith raises $70m for huge scale-up

• Legal Tech Wordsmith AI Raises $70 Million, Plans US Expansion (Bloomberg)

• “The front door that does the work”: Wordsmith AI raises $70m Series B (Legal Insider)

• Wordsmith Raises $70m Series B (Artificial Lawyer)

• Wordsmith AI raises £52 million amid rapid growth (Daily Business)

• Edinburgh legal AI startup raises £52 million in series B funding round (Future Scot)

• Edinburgh legal AI firm raises £52m to scale-up (Insider Media)

Peter Murrell legal aid loophole must close, SNP told

Peter Murrell’s embezzlement case must be the ‘catalyst’ to close loopholes that allow the former SNP chief executive to avoid repaying legal aid, the Scottish Government has been told, reports the Herald.

Murrell, who pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP over a 12-year period, was granted legal aid last year.

• [£] Peter Murrell legal aid loophole must close, SNP told (The Herald)

• [£] Peter Murrell sold Portuguese villa after claiming legal aid (The Times)

• [£] Sturgeon’s husband sold Portuguese villa after claiming legal aid (The Telegraph)

• Peter Murrell latest: How ex-SNP chief guilty of £400k embezzlement kitted out motorhome 'configured for pleasure' (Sky News)

• We now know how Peter Murrell embezzled from the SNP - but not why (BBC)

• Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell (Sky News)

• Why Scotland's Crown Office has questions to answer over Peter Murrell scandal – Brian Wilson (Scotsman)

And in other news

Legal headlines from across the UK and beyond:

• Scottish government found in contempt over Salmond files (BBC)

• Police statement following the sentencing of Stephen McCullagh (PSNI)

• Man who murdered pregnant partner while faking livestream as alibi jailed for 31 years (Guardian)

• Stephen McCullagh sentenced to 31 years for the murder of Natalie McNally (BBC)

• Widow 'distressed' by firm's nine-month delay to husband's pension (BBC)

• How the murder of Henry Nowak is being exploited by the far right (Guardian)

• Outer House grants parents’ petition challenging lawfulness of West Lothian school’s toilet provision (Scottish Legal News)

• Widow of gambling addict takes Betfair to court in possible landmark UK case (The Guardian)

• Invitation to cheat: AI outperforms law professors in Stanford study (Scottish Legal News)

• Scottish Government 'investing in work to prevent knife crime and gang culture' (STV News)

• Ex-medical student who raped his girlfriend granted parole after being deemed 'risk to women' (Glasgow Live)

• Former Edinburgh court custody manager admits fake female escort fraud (Edinburgh Evening News)