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Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has offered a formal apology to people accused of witchcraft between the 16th and 18th centuries. She told MSPs at Holyrood that it could legislate to pardon those who were convicted and in many cases executed.

Staff at ByrneWallace LLP have benefited from enhanced family-friendly benefits introduced in the past 12 months, the firm announced yesterday to coincide with International Women's Day. The firm has enhanced maternity and paternity leave, and introduced paid leave to support both men and women in t

Immigration barristers in Ireland have joined colleagues from across the European Union in offering pro bono legal assistance to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. The Immigration, Asylum & Citizenship Bar Association (IACBA) is coordinating and inviting practitioners to participate on a r

Addleshaw Goddard, which last week completed a merger with Eugene F Collins LLP, has announced the appointment of Eoghan Ó hArgáin, Neil Bourke and Stephen McLoughlin as partners in its Dublin office. The new appointments expand the firm's expertise in key areas of EU, competition and

Non-EEA doctors will be able to access a Stamp 4 permit after just two years of working in Ireland instead of the current five years under changes to working arrangements and immigration permissions. The move, which will benefit up to 1,800 doctors in the State, aims to reduce the administrative bur

A new legal framework for environmental governance and accountability in Northern Ireland following Brexit has been introduced. The Environment (2021 Act) (Commencement and Saving Provision) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 places statutory duties on DAERA to publish an Environmental Improvement Plan (

Legislation to prevent an increase in motor insurance premiums in Northern Ireland has cleared Stormont and is expected to become law by May. The Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) Bill aims to ensure that domestic statutory provision on compulsory motor insurance, as contained in the 1981 Road T

The most significant changes to Northern Ireland's gambling laws in nearly 40 years have been approved by MLAs. The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Amendment) Bill, presented as the first in a two-phase approach to the reform of gambling regulation in Northern Ireland, completed its final

A Congolese man has married triplets after they proposed to him simultaneously. The mononymic Luwizo told Afrimax English he thought he "was dreaming".

A new statutory offence of "cyber-flashing" will be introduced in Northern Ireland under legislative amendments approved by MLAs yesterday. The Northern Ireland Assembly agreed to amend the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Bill to include the new offence, which will criminalise the

Draft legislation to restrict interest rates on moneylending loans has been published by finance minister Paschal Donohoe. The Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022 aims to restrict the total cost of credit on moneylending loans. It will provide the finance minister with the power to make regulation

The Law Society of Ireland has marked International Women's Day by amplifying the voices of young lawyers who it says will be the face of a more diverse solicitors' profession in the future. The professional body has shared the stories of solicitors Anjusha Puthan Purayil, Tarisai May Chidawanyika a

Northern Ireland barrister Moira Smyth QC reflected on 100 years of women in the law in the latest lecture in the Legal History Project series, which is now available to watch on YouTube. The lecture followed a photographic exhibition hosted by The Bar of Northern Ireland, which celebrated and promo

Mills Selig has been recognised as corporate law firm of the year at Insider Media's 2022 Northern Ireland Dealmaker Awards. The firm acted on more than 50 M&A transactions during the qualifying period for the awards, with its deal volume and deal value doubling on the previous year.

It is not acceptable for lawyers to join remote court hearings from their cars or wearing informal attire, a senior judge has ordered. A new practice direction issued by the president of the High Court, Mrs Justice Mary Irvine, sets out the need for remote hearings to be "conducted in a manner which