Legal news

Conference to be held in honour of George Gretton
December event coincides with publication of Festschrift

MMS becomes Dentons as merger completes
Combined firm boasts 158 locations in 66 countries

Further anti-people trafficking powers now in force
Trafficking and exploitation risk orders available to courts

Latest OPG figures show reduced power of attorney delays
EPOAR target time now being met

UK Government could allow some prisoners to vote
Report suggests concession to home release inmates serving less than a year

Better support urged for new build buyers who discover defects
MSPs call for more quality checks, and information for owners

Sturgeon to make Government apology for gay convictions
Statement to come as bill to grant pardons introduced

Litigation failings lead to expenses award against solicitor
Inadequate briefing of expert serious enough to warrant finding

Society's first MOOC opens legal learning to all
Four week maritime law course extends online learning offering

MSPs call on Government to revisit named persons code of practice status
Committee believes Holyrood should vote before proposals become law

Gambler whose persuasion influenced card selection deemed to have cheated
"Edge sorting" constituted positive action to influence outcome

Transport fund contribution illegal as development condition: Supreme Court
Judges affirm decision striking down Aberdeen policy

Lords point to ways to improve legislation
Published evidence and piloted policy among committee proposals

Shared equity schemes extended to the over-60s
Minister announces range of new options

Courts re-accredited with customer service excellence standard
Review records fewer areas where improvement needed

Foreign decree case shows up hole left in court rules
Repeal prevents registration of Belgian judgment for enforcement

Registers' ScotLIS land information service goes live
New online resource provides data on all land in Scotland

Domestic abuse figures creep up again
Official statistics show 1% rise in 2016-17

Faculty supports keeping children out of court
Response calls for improvements to practice before evidence pre-recorded

QCs not interested in becoming judges, Lord President's survey finds
Lower earnings and lack of respect given as reasons

Inflation linked court fee rises proposed in new consultation
Increases over next three years would continue full cost recovery

Further appointments signal growth at RCC&W
Aaron Doran and Cameron Milne join north east firm

Terms of new model private tenancy agreement published
Form released for use under new law from 1 December

Associate promotions round at Shepherd & Wedderburn
Eleven advanced across Edinburgh, Glasgow and London offices