Northern Ireland

Family lawyers in Northern Ireland stand to lose out from the proposed introduction of standard fees for certain cases, on top of an existing 25-year freeze in legal aid fees, the Law Society of Northern Ireland has said. The Department of Justice recently consulted on the introduction of standard l

An expert panel appointed to help design a victim-centred independent investigation into mother and baby homes and Magdalene laundries in Northern Ireland has called for a statutory public inquiry. The independent truth recovery panel, comprising social worker Deirdre Mahone and legal academics Dr M

A new advocacy service offering impartial and practical support for victims of sexual and domestic abuse in Northern Ireland has been officially launched. ASSIST NI is being rolled out on a phased basis by the Department of Justice and PSNI in partnership with Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid, Foyle

A high-profile legal challenge to the liberalisation of Northern Ireland's abortion laws, spearheaded by former Attorney General John Larkin QC, has begun in the High Court. Mr Larkin is acting on behalf of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in an application for judicial revie

Amanda Stewart has taken up the reins of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland as its chief executive with effect from today. Ms Stewart previously worked for the Policing Board since its inception and has a wide range of experience across Probation's responsibilities, including policing with the

Northern Ireland's High Court has dismissed an application to strip away a father’s parental responsibility towards his daughter despite evidence of domestic and sexual abuse towards her mother in the child's presence. An application was brought by the child, RE’s, mother under Article 7

The end of the stamp duty holiday is not dampening activity in Northern Ireland's housing market, according to a Belfast solicitor. Janet Williamson, director of commercial and property at O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors, said her team was working on around 30 completions this week ahead of the stamp du

Belfast-based Cleaver Fulton Rankin has welcomed three newly-qualified solicitors following their completion of the firm's trainee solicitor programme. Brendan Tabb, Christopher Bew and Ruaidhri Groom have each completed the two-year training programme, which develops skills across a wide range of l

A new state-of-the-art meeting space at Law Society House has been officially opened by justice minister Naomi Long at an event attended by the new Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. The meeting space can accommodate meetings, mediations, seminars and negotiations, with break-out areas and high

The first changes from legislation delivering the most significant update to liquor licensing laws in Northern Ireland since 1996 will come into effect from tomorrow. The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 will be commenced in phases over the next few years,

Belfast-based MKB Law has announced the appointment of Jonathan Jackson as a director and shareholder.

Professor Siobhán Wills has been named as the next director of the Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) at Ulster University. An internationally-recognised researcher on peacekeeping, international and human rights law, Professor Wills will take over as director from 1 October 2021.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) failed to comply with its approved equality scheme while developing legislation to address the legacy of the past, the Equality Commission has found following an investigation. An investigation was launched after the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)

Judicial salaries in Northern Ireland and across the UK have been frozen for a year, new figures from the Ministry of Justice show. The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Sir Declan Morgan, received a salary of £234,184 in 2019. This rose to £238,868 last year but has remained the s

Belfast lawyer Linda Johnston, private client partner at Francis Hanna & Co Solicitors, has announced her retirement after 38 years in legal practice. Ms Johnston first joined Francis Hanna & Co in 1983 as a newly-qualified solicitor in the property law department. By 1988, she had become th