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International law firm DAC Beachcroft, with offices in Dublin and Belfast, has reported an increase in profits by nearly a fifth to reach £67 million. The firm today announced its provisional, unaudited results for the year ending 30 April 2021, with turnover up by seven per cent to £275 million.

Ministers have approved the publication of legislation to transition the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) into an independent statutory agency with additional resources to investigate and prosecute white collar crime. The Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021 wi

A new pilot programme will see the PSNI share information with schools where there have been instances of domestic abuse involving a child. Under the pilot, officers will be allowed to pass on relevant information to the school the child attends so that the right support can be put in place.

Hong Kong's leader has told lawyers to stay out of politics as the pro-Beijing regime seeks to gain greater control over the legal system. Carrie Lam, chief executive of the territory, said the Law Society of Hong Kong, which represents 12,000 solicitors, risks “severing” relations with her admi

The Polish government has agreed to dissolve a controversial disciplinary chamber for judges in a climb-down following a European court ruling. The European Commission initiated infringement proceedings in April 2020 in regards to the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court on the basis that it th

Fines issued to Black Lives Matter protesters in Belfast and Derry last summer should be refunded and any outstanding warrants cancelled, the PSNI has told the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS). Deputy chief constable Mark Hamilton said in a letter to health minister Robin Swann

A support service for victims of sexual violence in Northern Ireland will close at the end of the month in advance of a new state-led service being launched. Victim Support NI announced "with regret" that its independent sexual violence advocate (ISVA) service would close on 31 August 2021.

A police officer who enjoys watching esports while off duty made an unexpected arrest after recognising a top gamer as a wanted criminal. The officer was spending his downtime playing popular multiplayer game League of Legends (LoL) in an internet café with friends in his city of Chongqing in south

An independent review of Ireland's abortion laws will begin within weeks, health minister Stephen Donnelly has indicated. The Department of Health confirmed to The Irish Times that an independent expert will be appointed to lead the review, which will take "a three-part approach to reviewing the ope

Legislation allowing Irish military reservists to serve overseas should also protect them from being sacked while deployed, the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (RDFRA) has said. The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020, which cleared the Dáil in June and will soon be considered by the Sea

Up to 150 additional humanitarian visas will be made available to human rights defenders in Afghanistan in response to the Taliban takeover, ministers have announced. On scheduled deportations from Ireland, minister of state James Browne said there is "no question of anyone being returned to Afghani

Researchers for a global land rights organisation have published a grim assessment of the land and inheritance rights of women living in scheduled tribe communities in the state of Jharkhand, India – and how the existing system of laws and cultural practices denies them their rights. In 'This is n

A former accounts manager at a non-profit affiliated with a medical school has pleaded guilty to embezzling almost $13 million. Florida man Ralph Puglisi, 59, faces a jail term of up to 20 years, The Tampa Bay Times reports. He worked for the University of South Florida's medical service association

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A new, "comprehensive and coherent" marine planning system is set to be introduced under new legislation published today. Darragh O'Brien, the minister for housing, local government and heritage, said the Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021 will represent "a giant leap forward towards meeting our ambit