Northern Ireland

Victims of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland will be able to discreetly seek help through pharmacies under a new scheme launched by the UK government. The scheme will initially be available in Boots pharmacies, as well as a number of other independent pharmacies. Participating pharmacies will have

A proposed strategy to support and challenge women and girls who are on the cusp of offending or who have already turned to crime has gone out for consultation. The consultation document focuses on working with women and girls throughout their contact with the justice system and particularly at an e

Two women have been granted permission to bring a judicial review over the length of NHS waiting lists in Northern Ireland. Solicitor Ciaran O’Hare of McIvor Farrell Solicitors is representing litigants May Kitchen and Eileen Wilson in the "first-of-their-kind" proceedings.

Lawyers and rights campaigners have called for the establishment of a public inquiry into mother and baby homes in Northern Ireland. The Irish government yesterday published the final report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Inquiry established in 2015, which looked at mother and baby homes

UK law firm TLT, which employs around 100 people in Belfast, has entered into a strategic alliance with Belgian law firm GSJ advocaten. The firms have significant expertise in common across a number of sectors including real estate, financial services, retail and the public sector, enabling cross bo

Belfast-based MKB Law has announced the appointment of Aoife McCann as a solicitor in its family law team. A graduate of Queen's University Belfast and the IPLS, Ms McCann undertakes cases such as divorce and separation, domestic violence, children’s contact and adoption, public law Care Order

Northern Ireland's human rights watchdog has launched legal action against the government over its failure to commission and fund abortion services. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission yesterday announced it had lodged judicial review proceedings in the High Court against the Secretary of S

A coalition of over 90 NGOs and trade unions has raised concerns that recent appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) are too "state-centric". The Equality Coalition has made a formal complaint to the Northern Ireland Office over the proportion of recent appointees drawn

Proposals to significantly expand the spent convictions regime in Northern Ireland for the first time since its introduction more than four decades ago have gone out for consultation. The consultation, to run until 5 March 2021, presents proposals to reform the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern

A female prisoner in Northern Ireland has tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has said. The positive test at Hydebank Wood College comes around four months after the first positive test of a prisoner in Northern Ireland in Maghaberry last September.

High Court judge Mr Justice Maguire has been appointed as a Lord Justice of Appeal in a round of judicial appointments announced this morning. Elsewhere, Mr Justice Huddleston has been appointed as president of the Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Board (HIA), taking over from Mr Justice Colto

Human rights campaigners have called on Northern Ireland's first and deputy first minister to condemn the arrest of around 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong. Activist Gwyneth Ho, who delivered the Amnesty International Northern Ireland annual lecture four weeks ago, is among those arrested for all

Northern Ireland solicitors Fiona Chamberlain and Alastair Rankin have been recognised by the UK government in the New Year's honours list. Mrs Chamberlain, until recently the Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland, has been made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in recognition of her contribu

Property sales and viewings can continue under the new Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland, the Department for Communities has confirmed. The Northern Ireland Executive imposed increased restrictions for six weeks beginning 26 December 2020, which will be tightened further on Friday.

The International Convention Centre in Belfast (ICC) has been deployed as Northern Ireland's first "Nightingale venue" to facilitate court and tribunals business. However, the ICC is only being used for jury assembly this week pending "rigorous risk assessments", which the Northern Ireland Courts an