Northern Ireland

Legislation to criminalise abusive behaviour in domestic and close family relationships will be brought forward in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The UK government had come under pressure to legislate in Northern Ireland before the restoration of Stormont, but Justice Minister Naomi Long said she no

Newly-elected Justice Minister Naomi Long has chaired her first meeting of the Criminal Justice Board (CJB).

Trainees studying at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) have been congratulated after coming second at the UK Student Mediation Competition 2020 in Glasgow.

Employment tribunal claimants in Northern Ireland now have to consider the option of early conciliation before formally lodging their claim. Early conciliation has come into effect as of today, meaning that anyone who wishes to lodge a claim with the Industrial Tribunal or Fair Employment Tribunal m

An initiative designed to make victims of domestic violence feel safer in their own homes could be rolled out in Northern Ireland. Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey told a conference hosted by Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid that she is considering plans to introduce the Sanctuary Scheme model fir

Five senior Northern Ireland barristers have taken up office as temporary High Court judges as of today. Bar of Northern Ireland members David Scoffield QC, Stephen Shaw QC, Michael Humphreys QC, Karen Quinlivan QC and Gerald Simpson QC have been sworn in, as well as Daniel Friedman QC.

Four Northern Ireland departments incurred a combined legal bill of £5.5 million in relation to the inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal. Sir Patrick Coghlin, a retired Lord Justice of Appeal, chaired the independent inquiry into the energy scandal that brought down Stormont

Mills Selig welcomed clients and friends to its Belfast offices yesterday to celebrate Burns Night with a traditional evening of fine dining, poetry and a toast to the haggis. The corporate and property law firm treated guests to traditional Scottish music and dram of whisky in honour of the famous

Belfast solicitor Shelley Maybin, who works for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, has been featured as The Times' Lawyer of the Week. Ms Maybin acted for a transgender woman in her recent sex discrimination case against retailer Debenhams, which ended with a £9,000 settlement with

Global law firm Allen & Overy (A&O) has announced the appointment of 25 new graduates to its Legal Services Centre (LSC) in Belfast, its highest annual intake of new recruits to date.

A challenge to the redrawing of electoral constituencies in Northern Ireland will be heard by the Court of Appeal in Belfast tomorrow. Proposals published by the Boundary Commission last year would see the number of parliamentary seats in Northern Ireland cut from 18 to 17, as part of a broader redu

Family lawyer Sarah Elliott of Worthingtons Solicitors examines the law when unmarried families break up. With Boris Johnson and his partner, Carrie Symonds becoming the first unmarried couple to enter 10 Downing Street, this reflects a growing trend, with cohabiting families becoming the fastest gr

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has found that two public authorities failed to comply with their equality scheme commitments when reviewing and developing particular policies. The watchdog carried out investigations under schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 following compl

Seven people have been arrested following the largest money laundering search and arrest operation in Northern Ireland's history. Officers from the PSNI's economic crime unit searched 15 properties across Northern Ireland in an operation targeting the international money laundering of criminal asset

Patrick Fahy & Co Solicitors has welcomed Fiona Quinn as a solicitor following the completion of her apprenticeship training with the firm. Ms Quinn, from Derryloughan, Co Tyrone, will spend time equally between the firm's Omagh and Dungannon offices.