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Expanding the scope of legal aid is a better way of increasing access to justice than promoting greater uptake of legal expenses insurance, the chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland has said. Bar Chair Sarah Ramsey spoke at the launch of a new report on legal expenses insurance and access to

Nearly one in two people released from Irish prisons in 2012 were convicted of another offence within three years, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The rate of recidivism for prisoners released during 2012 was 45.8 per cent, down from 48.9 per cent in 2011 and conti

A bill introducing a new offence of coercive control in Northern Ireland which automatically fell after the prorogation of Parliament will now continue to be considered by MPs. The UK Government's Domestic Abuse Bill was one of a number of pieces of proposed legislation which automatically fell foll

Professor Conor Gearty, professor of human rights law at LSE Department of Law, offers his initial thoughts on the historic Miller/Cherry judgment. In March 1954, that distinguished forerunner of today’s politics, senator Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin, was directly challenged by the famed American

The Ombudsman, Peter Tyndall, has called for his remit to be extended to include how asylum applications are assessed by the Minister for Justice. Mr Tyndall appeared before the Oireachtas joint committee on justice and equality this morning to discuss the Direct Provision system.

A woman who was unlawfully dismissed because of her pregnancy has been awarded nearly £28,000 in compensation. Laura Gruzdaite, 26, brought a case against McGrane Nurseries Ltd in Co Armagh to the Industrial Tribunal with support from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

The "right to be forgotten" in EU law does not extend worldwide, the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has determined. Answering questions referred from a French court considering a dispute between the national data protection authority and Google, the CJEU found tha

Retired solicitor John H. Cavan has passed away, the Law Society of Northern Ireland has announced. Mr Cavan was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1976 and practised with Fisher & Fisher Solicitors before his retirement.

Senior leaders from national and international businesses and organisations shared insights on building inclusive workplaces at a conference hosted by Matheson in association with Trinity College Dublin.

T-shirts bearing a design inspired by the UK Supreme Court president have gone on sale – with a third of profits going to charity. Lady Hale delivered the unanimous judgment of 11 justices yesterday in two major constitutional cases, with the court finding that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had

An environmental activist network has been granted an order setting aside secondary legislation which amended the regulation of large-scale peat extraction. Finding that the amended legislation was inconsistent with EU environmental law, Mr Justice Garrett Simons also found that the use of secondary

International law firm DAC Beachcroft has bolstered its Dublin office through the hire of a two female partner-led team. Corporate partner Sharon McCaffrey and competition law partner Joanne Finn have joined the firm, bringing with them a team of two senior associates, one associate and a secretary.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unlawfully prorogued Parliament, a full bench of the UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in a historic judgment. In court this morning, Lady Hale, President of the Supreme Court – sitting with Lord Reed, Deputy President; Lord Kerr; Lord Wilson; Lord Carnwath; L

Belfast solicitor Ciaran O'Hare, whose client Raymond McCord brought a challenge in the Northern Ireland courts against the prorogation of Parliament, has welcomed today's unanimous UK Supreme Court ruling that Parliament has not been prorogued. Mr O'Hare, of McIvor Farrell Solicitors, said the cour

International law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has welcomed Colm Wolinski and Michael McFall as trainees in Belfast.