News

A former prison has found new life as a legal cannabis farm. What used to be Claremont Custody Centre in California is now a bustling business, with cannabis growing in the garden while staff make edibles in the kitchen and assemble prerolled joints in the mess hall.

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has announced the appointment of Tara Kelly as head of the firm's competition and antitrust team. Ms Kelly, whose personal practice focuses on merger control and regulatory investigations, will lead a specialised team advising clients on their obligations under Irish and

US law firm Armstrong Teasdale has announced its expansion into Ireland in order to better serve its European clients after Brexit. The new Dublin office, to be headed by partner Daniel O'Connell, will be the firm's 15th office and its second outside the US after London. It will initially focus on c

Reforms to the committal process in Northern Ireland criminal cases will be introduced from September 2022, justice minister Naomi Long has said. Mrs Long set out a timetable for the implementation of the Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Act 2022 after it received royal assent earlier this week.

Up to 20 new High Court judges are still required to deal with Covid backlogs, the president of the High Court has said. During a preliminary hearing yesterday, Mrs Justice Mary Irvine said the court "is short about 18 or 20 judges at the moment and we have arrears across all divisions", the Irish I

A right to independent living should be incorporated into Irish law in order to ensure that disabled people can live "ordinary lives in ordinary places", an Oireachtas committee has recommended. A new report from the Oireachtas joint committee on disability matters issues a number of recommendations

Dublin and Dundalk firm Mulholland Law has announced the promotion of Michelle Lynch to practice manager. Mrs Lynch joined the firm in 2020 as a legal assistant to the principal and has considerably assisted with the growth and expansion of the firm. She will now oversee the daily administration of

An English law firm has been fined £98,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) after a data breach caused by ransomware. Hackers gained access to the IT systems of criminal defence firm Tuckers Solicitors LLP and compromised more than 24,700 court bundles containing sensitive data s

The city of Seattle is being sued by salmon in a novel legal case invoking the "rights of nature". The novel case, in which the fish are named as plaintiffs, was initiated by the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe of Washington, which alleges that dams have decimated the salmon population in Washington's ri

Two boys are facing prosecution after allegedly spraying other kids with "silly string", the colourful plastic string often seen at children's birthday parties. Police in Cape Coral, Florida challenged the pair after complaints from the parents of their alleged victims, who were not injured, WINK-TV

Northern Ireland's former director of public prosecutions, Barra McGrory QC SC, has joined Red Lion Chambers in London as an associate tenant. Based in Ireland, Mr McGrory brings vast experience to the chambers in the areas of criminal law and public inquiry work.

Over 3,000 statutory and prerogative instruments dating from between 1821 and 1860 should be removed from the statute book, the Law Reform Commission has recommended. The law reform body's Statute Law Revision Programme (SLRP) this week launched a public consultation on removing all but two instrume

Irish and Ukrainian lawyers will examine the legal ramifications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine at a webinar hosted by The Bar of Ireland and its EU Bar Association next week. The free event, taking place on Tuesday 15 March from 4.15pm to 5.30pm, will also hear from the Dean of Warsaw Bar Council

The Law Society of Northern Ireland raised over £1,500 in support of Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI at a charity event taking place at Hobbs and Phase Eight stores in Belfast. Those attending, including senior Northern Ireland legal figures, had the opportunity to network and engage in some retai

The Irish government has been urged to follow the UK in cracking down on fake adverts on social media platforms and search engines. The Online Safety Bill currently before Westminster will be amended to add a new legal duty requiring the largest and most popular social media platforms and search eng