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Andy Harris Profitability at UK law firms jumped to a seven-year high last year, driven by robust fee income growth coupled with tight control of overheads.

A man’s conviction for burglary has been quashed in a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court, due to the improper use of the “adverse inferences” provisions of s. 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. The man was arrested on suspicion of having been involved in the unlawful discharge of a fire

Irish firm Matheson has announced the opening of an office in San Francisco, alongside a series of senior appointments in the firm's corporate group. Matheson managing partner Michael Jackson said the San Francisco office will allow the Dublin-based firm "to support our West Coast client base with o

Ireland could go without a Chief Justice for up to two months after Mrs Justice Susan Denham retires, The Irish Times reports. The Government does not expect that it will be able to nominate a successor before the August break, sources told the newspaper.

Legal rights group FLAC has welcomed the Oireachtas' approval of a new law to introduce long awaited reforms of the legislation underpinning the Financial Services Ombudsman’s office. The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2014, tabled by Sinn Féin's finance

The Mediators' Institute of Ireland (MII) has welcomed the Dáil's approval of the Mediation Bill, saying most of its concerns have been addressed. Sabine Walsh, president of the MII, said: “The Bill has been in gestation for over seven years and the MII has been campaigning for such a Bill almost

Dublin firm LK Shields has announced the appointment of Shane O’Donohoe to its commercial property department as an associate solicitor Mr O'Donohoe (pictured) advises on all aspects of the leasing, sale and purchase of commercial property.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has told TDs a private member's bill on mortgage arrears is unlikely to survive a challenge on constitutional grounds. Mr Flanagan (pictured) said Fianna Fáil politician Michael McGrath's Mortgage Arrears Resolution (Family Home) Bill 2017 is "very likely to be unc

A private member’s bill to make cannabis available for medicinal purposes has been rejected by the Oireachtas health committee. The committee's report warned that the bill raised legal issues and that its proposed framework was "too loose to effectively guard against leakage of supply to recreatio

Moves towards the creation of a specific offence of stalking have been effectively put on hold by the deadlock between Northern Ireland political parties, according to support group Stalking NI. Former Justice Minister Claire Sugden asked Department of Justice officials last year to review the exist

A woman who had served as captain in the Army for over nine years, and who was excluded from promotion to commandant because she was off on maternity leave, has been awarded €824,794 in damages. In July 2016, the High Court found that Ms Diane Byrne had qualified for fixed period promotion in acco

Conor Moore pictured with Ronan McCoughlin, Partner at Gallagher Shatter Solicitors, at the Parchment Ceremony in Presidents’ Hall

The housing market in Northern Ireland is currently the strongest in the UK, according to new research. Surveyors and estate agents have reported a surge in business, the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Ulster Bank residential market survey has found.

Cases of harassment have risen by almost 1,000 per cent in the past 19 years, following the emergence of social media and smartphones, a police source has told the Belfast Telegraph. Almost seven people a day are victims of harassment in Northern Ireland and the current power-sharing stalemate at St

Emma Scott of Baily Homan Smyth McVeigh looks at new requirements for landlords introduced this month.