Northern Ireland

The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by the Department for Communities (DfC) in a challenge against the legislation which provides that certain people with a terminal illness can receive welfare benefits without undergoing a full assessment. Handing down the judgment yesterday on behalf of a th

A joint action plan aimed at helping to resolve parental conflict over children outside of an adversarial court environment has been published by Northern Ireland's justice and health ministers. The Private Family Law Early Resolution Action Plan aims to change the way parental disputes are approach

The Bar of Northern Ireland has welcomed the publication of the delivery plan for modernisation of the civil and family justice system. Justice minister Naomi Long yesterday published her plan of actions to be taken over the remainder of the current Assembly mandate to make the system more accessibl

Staff at JMK Solicitors and CRASH Services have raised £13,000 so far in 2021 in the second year of their partnership with charity partner Cancer Fund for Children. The charity supports children and young people diagnosed with cancer or living with a parent diagnosed with cancer. It offers sup

Barrister Alyson Kilpatrick has been appointed as the new chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). Ms Kilpatrick, a public law specialist, will succeed Les Allamby in the leadership of the human rights watchdog with effect from 1 September 2021.

The introduction of pro bono costs orders in Northern Ireland has been identified as a priority area in a new plan for modernisation of the civil and family justice system. Justice Minister Naomi Long today published a delivery plan which sets out actions to be taken over the remainder of the curren

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has announced the appointment of Alison Grundle to a new role as head of member services. A number of new senior roles have been created by the Law Society in an effort to improve services for solicitors in Northern Ireland, according to the latest edition of The

A finding that the so-called "six-month rule" for terminally ill people accessing certain benefits is unlawful has been overturned by the Court of Appeal. The High Court ruled last summer that the requirement for terminally ill claimants to demonstrate that their death can reasonably be expected wit

Van Morrison has withdrawn his application for a judicial review of the "blanket ban" on live music in Northern Ireland venues during the Covid-19 pandemic. The singer-songwriter launched his legal action in January, arguing that Regulation 5 of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regu

Employment law specialist firm Lewis Silkin LLP has expanded into Northern Ireland through a partnership with Belfast-based Jones Cassidy Brett (JCB). The six-strong JCB team has been integrated into Lewis Silkin, with JCB partners Adam Brett and Ciara Fulton becoming partners of Lewis Silkin NI LLP

The deadline to respond to a consultation on a proposed duty of candour law for Northern Ireland has been extended until the end of August. The consultation details proposals for legislation to ensure that health care and social care organisations, and individuals who work for them, are open and hon

The current Probation Board for Northern Ireland chair and board members are to have their terms extended for three months. The terms will be extended from 30 November 2021 to 28 February 2022.

UK law firm Shoosmiths has announced the appointment of corporate lawyer Grant Edwards as a partner in Belfast. Mr Edwards is dual-qualified in Northern Ireland and England and Wales and has worked with venture capital and private equity funds across the UK on their investments in Northern Ireland.

Commercial property lawyer Rosemary Stevenson has graduated from Queen's University Belfast (QUB) with a first class honours degree and top of her class – for a second time. Mrs Stevenson, who completed her law degree at QUB in 1993, returned to the university to study history while continuing

It is "plausible" that security services had "a real prospect of preventing the Omagh bombing", a High Court judge in Belfast has ruled. In a judgment delivered this morning, Mr Justice Mark Horner called for new Article 2-compliant investigations to take place on both sides of the border.