News

Some lawyers may have lost access to case information after Northern Ireland's legal aid agency inadvertently closed the deadline for re-registration on its digital case management system a day early. The Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland had told practitioners in May that they had until 30 Jun

Around 25,000 fewer houses will be completed by 2023 because of the Covid-19 pandemic with a likely impact on house prices, the Central Bank of Ireland has said. In its latest quarterly bulletin, the Central Bank said completions fell in year-on-year terms by 20 per cent in the first quarter of 2021

Insurance risk and commercial law firm BLM, which employs around 60 people in Belfast, has signed up to a flexible working charter launched by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The ABI launched the #MakingFlexibleWork campaign earlier this year with the aim of increasing flexible working, i

A woman who wants to bring family law proceedings against her allegedly violent former partner has settled her High Court challenge over the Legal Aid Board's refusal to fund her action. The mother-of-two, who is reliant on social welfare payments, had claimed that her application for legal aid was

Sarah Slevin and Natalie Dillon of Ronan Daly Jermyn explore the fundamental objectives of the new SCCs and the key dates and steps organisations should now take. On 4 June 2021 the European Commission issued its eagerly awaited decision publishing the new Standard Contractual Clauses, or SCCs (New

Fundamental changes in the movement of people to and from the European Union, which will come into effect next year, require urgent preparation and clarification, the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has said.  In a letter published today to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, the

A man has been arrested after attempting to pay his bail with fake money. Michael Deschesne was arrested in the US state of Maine on Sunday on suspicion of theft and taken to jail.

The High Court has allowed an appeal against a Circuit Court ruling that a personal injuries claim was statute-barred against a set of defendants. The principal issue in the case was whether the plaintiff’s application under section 46(3) of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 to a

Co Down firm Peter Bowles + Company Solicitors has announced the appointment of a new senior management team, as well as the launch of a brand new specialist sister company called Curran Bowles Family Law. The new company, headed up by Clare Curran, is a dedicated family law practice that will focus

OSM Partners LLP has announced four new appointments across two of its departments, comprising a new senior associate, two new associates and a new solicitor. Deirdre Murphy has been appointed as a senior associate in the firm's litigation department, joining OSM after nearly a decade with one of Ir

Richard Greene QC has been appointed as a County Court judge in Northern Ireland. Judge Greene was sworn into office before the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Declan Morgan, on Monday.

The High Court in Belfast has rejected two high-profile legal challenges to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Mr Justice Adrian Colton today dismissed both applications for judicial review, the first brought by unionist politicians including Jim Allister and the second brought by loyalist pastor Cliffo

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsiding of the "Brexit effect" led to a slowing in the number of solicitors and barristers admitted to practise last year, according to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). The latest figures from the legal watchdog show that 906 solicitors and 167 barriste

UK law firm TLT, which employs over 100 people at its Belfast office, has announced plans to introduce a new flexible working policy in keeping with the changes in working practices that have occurred over the past year. The firm’s approach includes three commitments: to provide more choice so

The government has said it is supportive in principle of a private member's bill to expand the spent convictions regime, in particular by removing a rule whereby only one conviction outside of minor driving and public order offences can become spent. The Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bil