Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's leading animal welfare charity has called for tougher sentences for animal abusers after a man who kicked a cat to death received only three months' imprisonment. Mark Carson, 44, this week lost an appeal against his three-month sentence in Coleraine County Appeal Court. He previo

The Children's Law Centre (CLC) has launched a new series of courses on children's rights aimed at legal practitioners in Northern Ireland as well as young people, carers and non-legal professionals. The three initial training courses — with a 15 per cent discount for booking all three —

A legal challenge brought by Phoenix Law on behalf of three family members of Troubles victims has been identified as a lead case amid nearly two dozen challenges to the controversial Troubles Act. In the High Court this morning, Mr Justice Adrian Colton identified the joint submission on behalf of

Arthur Cox has appointed Madison Bowyer, Megan Ryans and Jordan Taggart as associates in its corporate and commercial department in Belfast. All three are newly-qualified solicitors who have taken up the positions after completing the firm's traineeship programme.

Belfast-based Paschal O’Hare Personal Injury Solicitors has welcomed Eoin Casey as a paralegal in the firm's personal injury team. A graduate of Ulster University, Mr Casey will assist with various personal injury matters while working towards his goal of qualifying as a solicitor.

UK law firm TLT, which operates in Northern Ireland, has announced a new ethnic diversity target designed to eliminate barriers to entry into the legal profession for aspiring ethnic minority lawyers and to improve diversity. This Black History Month 2023, the firm has set a target of 35 per cent et

Northern Ireland firm Wilson Nesbitt has announced seven senior appointments, including a new partner and two new senior associates.

Northern Ireland’s High Court has determined that a social care trust was entitled to cease funding day care services for two ‘in need children’, noting that although the decision may have been "difficult" it was neither unfair nor illegal. Delivering the judgment, Mr Justice David

Jon Boutcher, the former Bedfordshire Police chief constable leading Operation Kenova, is to be appointed as interim chief constable of the PSNI, according to reports. Mr Boutcher is the head of the long-running investigation into the alleged activities of the Provisional IRA informer codenamed "Sta

Yesterday's UK Supreme Court ruling on underpayments to PSNI officers and staff will have significant implications for employers in Northern Ireland, lawyers at Lewis Silkin have said. Thousands of PSNI officers are set to receive up to £30 million in backdated holiday pay after judges ruled t

Employment lawyers Orla Sheils and Sarah Havlin are among four new board members appointed to Northern Ireland's Labour Relations Agency (LRA). The LRA is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for the Economy, offering impartial advice to both employees and employers. It has re

Thousands of PSNI officers are set to receive up to £30 million in backdated holiday pay after the UK Supreme Court this morning ruled that the force must rectify underpayments dating back to 1998. Belfast firms McCartan Turkington Breen (MTB) and Edwards & Co Solicitors represented separa

Northern Ireland's legal professions have given a cautious welcome to a new fundamental review of criminal legal aid led by retired judge Tom Burgess. The Department of Justice yesterday confirmed that the review, led by Judge Burgess as its independent advisor, has commenced and will be completed w

Dungannon-based P.A. Duffy & Co Solicitors has welcomed Ellen Bates as a trainee solicitor. Ms Bates joined the firm in May 2021, initially as a part-time legal executive, while completing her undergraduate degree at Ulster University. She graduated from her LLB in July with a first class honour

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has launched a new legal challenge against a new UK law which will "effectively make it impossible for people who arrive in the UK irregularly to present as refugees". The controversial Illegal Migration Act 2023, which received royal assent in Ju