Northern Ireland

A 22-year-old man has been given a six-year sentence for the “single-punch” manslaughter of a vulnerable man in Newcastle, County Down. Mr Justice Adrian Colton followed the sentencing guidelines in R v Quinn. Two other men who witnessed the incident were sentenced for related offences,

International law firm Pinsent Masons has been recognised as Northern Ireland's top employer for LGBT staff and one of the most LGBT-inclusive workplaces in the UK. The firm is ranked at number four in LGBT charity Stonewall's Top 100 Employers list, which recognises a dozen other law firms across t

Retired solicitor Roisin Doris (née McGrath) has passed away, the Law Society of Northern Ireland has confirmed. Ms Doris was a former principal in private practice (PPP) with E&L Kennedy Solicitors in Belfast city centre.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) will be "unable to fulfil its duties" if funding cuts continue, its chief commissioner has warned. The rights watchdog is funded by the UK government through the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), but has seen its budget slashed by nearly 50 per cent

Retired Bangor solicitor Cynthia Baxter, also known as Cynthia Hopkirk, has passed away at the age of 84. Ms Baxter was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1975 and was a partner in the Bangor office of Wilson Nesbitt until her retirement in 1992.

Personal injury specialist firm JMK Solicitors is sponsoring a sports panel event bringing together former international rugby and GAA stars in Belfast.

A man who was convicted of raping his stepdaughter when she was a teenager has lost an application to appeal against his conviction. Dismissing the appeal, Lord Justice Ben Stephens said that the grounds of appeal, both individually and cumulatively, did not render the verdicts unsafe or engender a

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