Northern Ireland

A new personal injury discount rate will be set early next year following the passing of new legislation. The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill completed its final stage in Stormont yesterday and is expected to receive royal assent before the end of January 2022, after which a new rate will be set

Proposals to shrink the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) and rename it simply "Probation Northern Ireland" have gone out for consultation. Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) last year recommended that the Department of Justice should review PBNI's founding legislation an

Northern Ireland's High Court has rejected an application for judicial review alleging bias where such bias was not established by the applicant. This decision is one of many regarding planning permission for the proposal to commence gold mining operations in the Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone.

Regulations banning smoking in private vehicles when children are present and preventing the sale of nicotine inhaling products such as e-cigarettes to under-18s have been approved by the Northern Ireland Assembly. The regulation concerning private vehicles where children are present builds on exist

GPs in Northern Ireland are helping to identify and refer victims of domestic and sexual abuse to specialist support under a new pilot scheme. The "identification and referral to improve safety" (IRIS) programme is currently being piloted in 16 practices in East Belfast and the Newry and Mourne area

Belfast solicitor Gerard Duffy, one of the founding partners of Elliott Duffy Garrett (EDG), has passed away. Mr Duffy, who was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1952 and retired in 1993, died on Friday at the age of 93.

A&L Goodbody has become the first law firm in Northern Ireland to support an innovative scheme aimed at supporting social mobility and increasing diversity in the legal profession.

The principal legislation governing arbitrations in Northern Ireland as well as England and Wales is set to be reviewed by the Law Commission. The review of the Arbitration Act 1996, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2022 with a consultation paper to follower later that year, aims to en

Residential landlords in Northern Ireland could be required to give tenants up to six months' notice to leave their home under plans put out to consultation. The Department for Communities is consulting on the notice to quit period while the Private Tenancies Bill 2021 makes its way through the Asse

Service dogs used by police and prison officers in Northern Ireland will gain additional legal protections under legislation which has passed a major hurdle at Stormont. The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill, dubbed "Finn's law" after a police dog killed in England, will increase the maximum pen

Belfast-based Cleaver Fulton Rankin has announced the appointment of Jeanette Donohoe as its new head of dispute resolution. A director in the firm, she has been promoted to the position due to her depth of litigation experience and will lead the department as it continues to grow and innovate acros

Northern Ireland's Department of Justice has opened a consultation on proposals to keep murderers who refuse to disclose information about the locations of their victims' remains in prison for longer. The proposed legislation has been dubbed "Charlotte's law" by justice minister Naomi Long, after Ch

Victims and survivors of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland will have the right to 10 days' paid leave from work under a private members' bill which cleared a major parliamentary hurdle yesterday. The Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill, introduced by Green Party MLA Rachel Woods, passed second stage i

Northern Ireland barrister Conor Mullan has joined 3PB Barristers in London. Mr Mullan continues to practise as a barrister both in Northern Ireland, where he qualified in 2003, and in England and Wales, where he qualified in 2012.

Sir Declan Morgan, former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, will next week deliver a lecture on the history of Northern Ireland's chief justices. The event on Wednesday 8 December, 5pm, will look at the 10 individuals who have held the top judicial post from 1921 up to the present day and the