Northern Ireland

The Office of the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland has invited applications for an internship scheme running in the first two-and-a-half weeks of September. The internship scheme is open to students who will begin their final year of a law degree at any qualifying university in the UK and Irel

Proposals to streamline the committal process for serious criminal cases will be brought before MLAs before the summer recess, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. The Committal Reform Bill will allow for serious cases to be transferred directly to the Crown Court without the need for a traditional

The observation post at Omagh Courthouse has been removed but there are no plans to do away with its controversial wire meshing and grills, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. There have been various calls in recent years for the courthouse to be "normalised" by removing Troubles-era security meas

Over £500 million is set to be paid out to former police and prison officers who sustained injuries while on duty through schemes which require "substantial changes" to remain sustainable. A new report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office reveals that the injury on duty schemes for officers

Campaigners have renewed calls for the UK Government to bring the Widowed Parent's Allowance scheme in line with human rights laws a year and a half after a landmark UK Supreme Court ruling. Belfast solicitor Laura Banks acted for Siobhan McLaughlin in the case which led to a ruling that the legisla

Proposed new domestic violence laws will take up to a year to come into effect to allow for training across the justice system, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. Ms Long is planning to introduce legislation to make it an offence for a person to engage in a course of abusive behaviour (on two or

Trainees at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) triumphed over law students at Queen's University Belfast to win the Northern Ireland heat of the Client Consultation Competition 2020. Amira Graham and Ross White from the IPLS took on QUB students Taylor Derrien and Brandon Lijdsman in

The UK Government has been asked to clarify who will be responsible for implementing checks on trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain after the Scottish Government ruled out checks at Scottish ports. Northern Ireland's Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots told MLAs earlier this week that Scott

Justice Minister Naomi Long has said she supports the proposed £108 million redevelopment of Magilligan Prison, but has offered no news on when capital funding for the project will become available.

Improved search technology and equipment should be deployed in Northern Ireland prisons to help prevent drug smuggling, the Prisoner Ombudsman has said. The recommendation is one of seven included in Dr Lesley Carroll's report into the death of 27-year-old Paul Johnston in Magilligan Prison in 2017.

Members of the legal community in Northern Ireland have been invited to #FaceTheFuture and have their pictures taken as part of a global photography project showcasing the diverse face of women in the law. A photo shoot is being held tomorrow as part of celebrations for International Women’s D

The law firms and barristers earning most from legal aid in Northern Ireland are no longer being named out of concerns about GDPR rules. The Legal Services Agency has not published details payments made to solicitor firms and individual barristers for four years.

Belfast-based John McKee Solicitors has rebranded as McKees to coincide with a major £250,000 investment in its offices and staff.

Alison Cassidy, partner at BLM in Belfast, examines proposals to slash the personal injury discount rate in Northern Ireland. The Minister for Justice in Northern Ireland, Naomi Long MLA, has asked officials to undertake a statutory consultation with the Government Actuary and the Department of Fina

Global law firm Eversheds Sutherland has taken up larger offices in Belfast as it plans to expand its footprint in Northern Ireland. The firm, which has provided a full range of legal services from Belfast since 2015, is now based on Montgomery Street in the city centre.