News

Cocaine is as harmless as whiskey and only illegal "because it is made in Latin America", the president of Colombia has said. Gustavo Petro, who presides over the world's largest producer of cocaine, claimed that scientists had analysed the drug and come to that conclusion, CBS News reports.

The US is to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after Donald Trump accused it of having "engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel". The court issued arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders in November 2024 — which Tr

Donald Trump's shocking proposal for the US to "take over" the Gaza Strip and permanently remove the two million Palestinians who call it home has been condemned by human rights organisations as a "crime against humanity" in the making. Speaking at a news conference alongside Israeli prime minister

Upcoming reforms to the family courts could negatively impact victims of domestic abuse, a leading practitioner has warned as new figures reveal huge increases in applications for domestic violence orders. There was a nine per cent increase in applications for domestic violence orders in the Distric

Ulster University students Conán McGowan and Níall McGrattan have triumphed in the 2025 Northern Ireland regional heat of the Client Consultation Competition. The Law Society of Northern Ireland hosted the contest, which focused on consumer contracts, at Law Society House in Belfast on

Barristers and solicitors seeking to become senior counsel can now apply for consideration this year. Legal practitioners have until Friday 4 April 2025, 5pm, to apply for the grant of a patent of precedence.

Children in Northern Ireland can now avail of an innovative pilot scheme which helps victims of serious sexual offences to navigate the criminal justice system. The children's sexual offences legal adviser (CSOLA) scheme, delivered by Victim Support NI, was launched by justice minister Naomi Long ye

Belfast-based O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors has named Stuart Gilmore as its new managing director and welcomed Aine Tyrrell as a partner in its healthcare department. Mr Gilmore, a solicitor with almost 30 years' experience, has been a partner within the practice since 2012.

Philip Lee has promoted Niall Donnelly, Alison Murray, Patrick Kane and Jennifer Darcy to partner. Mr Donnelly, in the energy and natural resources team, specialises in advising clients on complex projects and regulatory matters in the energy sector, in particular renewable energy transactions.

A judge who was excused from jury duty because he said he thinks all defendants are guilty has been forced to resign from the bench.

Maples and Calder (Ireland) LLP, the Maples Group's law firm, has appointed Stephen Gardiner as a partner in its Irish asset finance practice. With 15 years' experience, Mr Gardiner is a highly-regarded advisor in the aviation leasing and finance sector in Ireland.

Walkers has appointed Dermot Casserly as partner and head of its employment law team in Ireland. Mr Casserly joins from DWF, where he led the employment team, having previously held roles at Beauchamps and KPMG.

Another legal challenge has been brought against the government's appointment of so-called "super junior ministers". People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy is asking the High Court to issue an injunction preventing the newly-appointed ministers from attending Cabinet meetings.

Dillon Eustace has been ranked as the leading legal adviser to Irish-domiciled funds in a new report from Monterey Insight. The firm's asset management and investment funds team retained its position as the number one legal adviser to Irish-domiciled funds in the Monterey Insight Ireland Fund Report

Patrice O'Keeffe has been appointed as managing partner of Comyn Kelleher Tobin (CKT), taking the reins from Deborah Moore, who has led the practice for the past 16 years. Having headed the firm through a period of significant growth — including an 85 per cent increase in practising solicitors