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A public consultation launched today is seeking views on the model and scope of proposed hate crime legislation to be brought forward in the next Northern Ireland Assembly mandate. A major judge-led review recommended in 2020 that Northern Ireland should adopt a statutory aggravation model of hate c

Vulnerable prisoners in Northern Ireland have been held in solitary confinement for long periods in breach of UN rules, a watchdog has said in a damning report. Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) led an independent review into conditions in care and supervision units (CSUs) in Nort

Our regular round-up of deals involving Irish law firms. Submit your deals to newsdesk@irishlegal.com. Matheson has advised Waystone, a provider of institutional governance, risk, and compliance services to the asset management industry, on two "transformational" transactions: an investment by Monta

A significant number of young lawyers are either leaving or considering leaving their current job in the next five years, according to a new report from the International Bar Association (IBA). Fifty-four per cent of 3,000 respondents reported that they were ‘somewhat likely’ or ‘h

Security officers at the Pentagon, home of US national security leadership, yesterday caught an unlikely intruder – a lone chicken. Animal welfare officials were called to pick up the wayward fowl after it was "caught sneaking around the security area at the Pentagon".

Insurance company elipsLife, a subsidiary of Swiss Re, has appointed solicitor Fiona Moriarty as senior legal counsel for Ireland. Ms Moriarty, who is qualified in Ireland and in England and Wales, has 10 years' post-qualification experience in insurance and insurance litigation.

Israel is committing the crime of apartheid against Palestinians, human rights organisation Amnesty International has said for the first time – joining the ranks of a growing number of Palestinian, Israeli and international NGOs. A new 211-page report titled Israel’s Apartheid against Pa

New UK data transfer rules replacing the EU's standard contractual clauses (SCCs) have been laid before Parliament. The international data transfer agreement (IDTA), the international data transfer addendum to the European Commission's SCCs for international data transfers, and a document setting ou

Belfast-based specialist commercial, technology, intellectual property and media law firm Forde Campbell has joined UK-headquartered Lewis Silkin. Forde Campbell directors Mathew Forde, Rory Campbell and Katey Dixon will become partners in Lewis Silkin's Northern Ireland practice, working alongside

The House of Commons' European scrutiny committee has begun an inquiry into the future of EU law that was copied into the UK statute book to avoid a legal cliff-edge when the country left the block. The move comes after the UK government confirmed it will bring forward a ‘Brexit Freedoms&rsquo

A new report from the special rapporteur on child protection examines the impact of Covid-19 on child protection on Ireland and analyses the inquiry into mother and baby homes from a human rights perspective. Professor Conor O'Mahony's second annual report as special rapporteur covers an 18-month re

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is to re-examine the case of a man convicted in 2012 of the first murder of a serving police officer in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement. Brendan McConville is one of two men currently serving a prison sentence for the 2009 murder of PSNI o

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favour of a Traveller family who were evicted from land owned by Clare County Council. The McDonagh family, who were backed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, lived on the site without permission because the council had failed to provide the

The High Court has issued a further ruling in the landmark FBD case, dealing with issues around quantum. The test cases brought by four pubs – The Leopardstown Inn, Sinnotts, Seán’s Bar, and Lemon and Duke – concern their business interruption insurance policies with FBD and

Matheson has launched a €5,000 corporate law bursary in memory of its late partner and former chairperson, Tim Scanlon. Mr Scanlon, who joined Matheson as a partner in 2000 and was appointed chair in 2018, passed away in December 2020 at the age of 55 following a brief illness.