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Mediation is becoming increasing widespread as a means of resolving complaints by consumers about legal practitioners, according to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). The regulator's 2023 annual report shows that it received a total of 1,290 complaints and closed a total of 1,432 compla

A sales representative for construction industry supplier Haldane Fisher has settled a disability discrimination case for £20,000 with support from the Equality Commissioner for Northern Ireland. The case brought by Mark Graham, who worked for the business for 28 years, was settled through med

Legal and professional services group Gateley is sponsoring a youth camp intended to give 50 disadvantaged young people in Northern Ireland a summer to remember. Gateley's Belfast office is backing Camp Asire, now in its seventh year, which is run by Portadown-based charity Aspire NI.

DWF has rolled out an AI-powered productivity tool in its Belfast office and plans to make it available to all of its global offices. The firm has embraced Copilot for Microsoft 365, which can summarise emails, generate action points and draft emails, project plans and presentations, following a pil

The US has unilaterally blocked a hearing of the Supreme Court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) from taking place on Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands. The UK claims sovereignty over the island, which forms part of the Chagos archipelago and has been home to an extensive US milita

Human rights expert Emily Logan has been nominated for appointment as Ireland's first police ombudsman. Ms Logan is currently a member of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) and previously served as chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission from 20

Periodic payments in personal injuries cases involving catastrophically injured people will increase with inflation under proposed new regulations. The Department of Justice today published the reports of the interdepartmental group on the indexation rate for periodic payment orders and the independ

New legal powers to support the collection of child maintenance will be introduced in Northern Ireland under proposals put out to consultation. The Department for Communities is consulting on proposals in the Child Support Enforcement Bill, which will enhance enforcement and collection powers within

Richard Hermer KC, a barrister at Matrix Chambers and deputy High Court judge, has been appointed as the new attorney general of England and Wales and advocate general of Northern Ireland. Born and raised in Wales, he studied politics and modern history at the University of Manchester before being c

Criminal barristers across the State have withdrawn their services today in a major escalation of The Bar of Ireland's campaign for fee restoration. Dozens of barristers and some solicitor colleagues defied the wind and rain to gather in front of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin this morning

Human rights campaigners have urged Sir Keir Starmer to repeal the previous UK government's controversial legacy law as soon as possible. Labour's manifesto included a commitment to “repeal and replace” the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which is currentl

Satanists are seeking to volunteer in Florida schools under a new law which paves the way for religious chaplains to serve as school counsellors. Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said at the time of its passage that the legislation would help to solve a staffing crisis in public schools.

The Child Law Project has published its final tranche of reports under a three-year government grant, which highlight the challenge of providing appropriate care placements, allocated social workers and support services for children in care. The latest volume comprises 70 reports — 67 from the

Retired Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan has passed away at the age of 86. He died yesterday and is survived by his wife, retired Supreme Court judge Mrs Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, and three children, The Irish Times reports.

Amnesty International has documented new shipments of aviation fuel to Myanmar despite global calls to deprive the country’s military of the resources it needs to carry out unlawful air strikes. In January 2024, Amnesty International exposed the Myanmar military’s new evasive tactics for