News

Dave Walsh, the chairperson of An Bord Pleanála, is set to retire early on personal and family grounds. The surprise announcement leaves the planning body without a chairperson or deputy chairperson, following the resignation of Paul Hyde earlier this year in a row over conflicts of interest.

Global law firm Clyde & Co has called for greater diversity and inclusion in senior positions in law firms in Northern Ireland. The firm, which merged with BLM this summer, has highlighted its efforts to pinpoint what can be done to achieve greater equality within the firm.

Grieving families are still being denied justice in Northern Ireland despite an increase in compensation, lawyers have warned. The sum paid to relatives eligible for a statutory compensation payment for their bereavement has increased from £15,100 to £17,200 as of this week.

Carson McDowell has secured an apology from Unite the Union on behalf of Nick Coburn CBE, managing director of Ulster Carpets. Mr Coburn took action against the trade union after it issued a press release concerning pay negotiations which made untrue allegations about him.

Matheson has announced the 2022 launch of its Cara Scholarship, the firm's diversity and inclusion scholarship delivered in partnership with Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Named in honour of late Matheson partner Cara O'Hagan and delivered as part of Matheson's impactful business programme, the schol

A Northern Ireland-style parades commission is not necessary in Scotland, according to a new Scottish government report. The creation of a commission was mooted last year after police made arrests at a series of Orange walks in Glasgow.

Cats could provide crucial evidence in criminal trials, researchers have suggested — because their fur collects human DNA. Forensic scientists at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia have shown for the first time that household cats are covered in human DNA, mostly from the people

Lawyers have welcomed progress on the setting up of a dedicated planning and environment division of the High Court. The government today announced that the establishment of the new court — promised in the programme for government — will be "completed as soon as possible" without the nee

The government has nominated Mr Justice Maurice Collins for appointment to the Supreme Court and Judge Melanie Greally for appointment to the High Court. Mr Justice Collins, a great-nephew of Michael Collins, will fill the Supreme Court vacancy arising from the retirement of Mr Justice Frank Clarke

A bill to repeal "outdated and unnecessary" secondary legislation passed up to 1860 is now being drafted, the government has announced. The latest Statute Law Revision Bill will see the assessment of further pre-independence secondary legislation, building upon the clarity brought by the Statute Law

A&L Goodbody (ALG) has appointed Amy Martin as an additional full-time lawyer in the firm's pro bono team. The move creates the largest dedicated pro bono practice in Ireland. Eithne Lynch, now head of pro bono, joined the firm in 2018 as the first full-time pro bono associate at any Irish law f

A privately procured guardian ad litem (GAL) service provided by a single company would be cheaper than an equivalent service run by the State, according to a report produced for ministers. The 66-page report, published yesterday by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Y

Legislation requiring employers to distribute tips and gratuities to workers fairly will come into force from next month. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022 gives employees a legal entitlement to receive tips and gratuities paid in electronic form and requires that these

The former manager of the Stardust nightclub has failed in a High Court bid to prevent a verdict of "unlawful killing" being considered in the fresh inquests into the deaths of 48 people in the infamous 1981 nightclub fire. Eamonn Butterly sought an order preventing the jury in the new inquests from

New EU rules regulating large online platforms classified as "digital gatekeepers" have come into force and will be implemented within months. The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) was proposed by the European Commission in December 2020 and agreed by the European Parliament in record time in March 2022.