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The moves to release some prisoners to reduce the problems caused by COVID-19 are welcome, but Government actions must be closely monitored to ensure promises are kept

Does the slowness with which Scottish courts moved to remote hearings indicate an attitude that courts are not an essential service? If so, there is a need for citizens’ education to the contrary

These are difficult times to leave office, but I am heartened by the way the Society and the profession have faced the COVID-19 crisis and I am confident that as a profession we will pull through

Collected news of new appointments and practice changes

In association with Denovo: life will be different after the lockdown, and now is the time to plan how to make your business more efficient and agile

Latest civil cases, including reporting restrictions; jurisdiction; personal bar; interlocutors; summary decree; prior criminal convictions; evidence; commercial actions; legal aid; expenses

Employment briefing: an update, as at 1 May 2020, on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as further guidance is published and more workers are brought within the scheme

Family briefing: with coronavirus restrictions presenting problems for power of attorney, guardianship and related work, the Law Society of Scotland has proposed statutory amendments to help matters

Human rights briefing: considerations arising in relation to article 5 ECHR from the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

Pensions briefing: claims for employers' pension contributions are allowed to an extent under the CJRS, but scheme amendments/contractual changes may need to be made for furloughed employees

Secure digital signatures using the Law Society of Scotland’s smartcard offer a safe way to progress transactions during the coronavirus, and the profession can transform the way it does business

An update from the Property Standardisation Group, including documents dealing with COVID-19 related matters

During the lockdown, a series of virtual round tables has allowed in-house lawyers to share experiences of new ways of working and what they may mean going forward

Reports relating to Neil Brennan Barnes; Martha Anne Rafferty

As we mark the VE Day anniversary, we should recall the actions of lawyers in authorising the atrocities of the Nazi regime, and how we should work to ensure that law is not misused in this way again

With videoconferencing now a standard way for law firms to run meetings, how can they maintain proper security?

The current COVID-19 turmoil, and the uncertain outlook ahead, overshadow what was a year of some achievement in 2018-19, as revealed in the Law Society of Scotland’s newly published annual report

Here we go again, talking about payment instruction fraud! But Lockton is still seeing Master Policy claims where fraudsters have successfully targeted firms’ client accounts, as two recent cases show

Already being paperless made the move to homeworking easy for the author, but he believes all firms can benefit from the experience

The Word of Gold: the COVID-19 crisis will spark the necessary cultural change resisted in more comfortable times

A tribute to Peter Carmichael Millar OBE, MA, LLB, WS, 19 February 1927-16 March 2020

Advice column: how can I reduce family intrusions into my homeworking?

A thank you for good wishes received since the author's April article, an update on the effect of COVID-19 on the firm, and a charity gesture in return

This month's selection of leisure reading, chosen by the Journal's book review editor