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Lawyers have called for Northern Ireland's planning system to "catch up" with the rest of the UK by introducing remote hearings during the coronavirus pandemic. The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) has confirmed in a letter to the Northern Ireland Planning Bar Association (NIPBA) that it is "taking

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted how "unsuitable and unsustainable" accommodation for asylum seekers in Ireland is, the Ombudsman has said. In his annual commentary on the Direct Provision system, Ombudsman Peter Tyndall repeated concerns over the suitability of accommodation, with three or

Remote courts technology is not ready for criminal trials with juries, the head of the Criminal Bar Association in England and Wales has said. After observing a mock remote jury trial, Caroline Goodwin QC concluded that "the technology is not there to deliver a safe and fair trial", The Times report

Belfast law graduate Aisha Rob has been awarded a prize for her LLM dissertation on how transitional justice can address statelessness. The annual dissertation prize is awarded by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for the highest LLM dissertation mark at Ulster University's Transitional J

Five thousand people who tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl have registered for a class action lawsuit that claims the resort and Tyrol region put private gain before public health, The Irish Times reports.

A&L Goodbody senior associate Ciaran O'Shiel and solicitor Charlotte Turk explore a recent landmark ruling from the UK Supreme Court. On 1 April 2020 the Supreme Court handed down the eagerly awaited judgment in WM Morrison Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 12.

Famous Irish sports star Conor McGregor has failed in a legal battle against a clothing company whose sportswear bears the same name. The 31-year-old MMA fighter applied to register his name as a trademark in order to sell clothing in Europe.

Edwards & Co Solicitors is taking a novel approach to charity fundraising following the cancellation of major events like the London Marathon. Staff at the Belfast-based firm are aiming to raise £15,000 for their charity of the year, Bowel Cancer UK, without leaving their homes.

The US state of Missouri has launched an "impossible" bid to sue the Chinese government for coronavirus. Eric Schmitt, the Attorney General of Missouri, has said the "Show-Me" state will hold China to account for "the enormous death, suffering, and economic losses they inflicted on the world, includ

Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has promoted Belfast office head Lisa McLaughlin to partner. Ms McLaughlin heads the firm's dedicated Alternative Legal Services (ALT) office and has overseen its expansion from 19 fee earners in 2011 to over 240 lawyers, technologists and legal analysts today

A large crowd of people who attended the Four Courts yesterday for the beginning of a legal challenge against COVID-19 restrictions "endangered themselves, gardaí, court staff and court users", the Courts Service has said. In a statement issued after the High Court hearing, the service said i

New Garda powers under the emergency coronavirus law have been used 34 times since coming into effect earlier this month. Delivering an update on the use of the powers yesterday, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the "vast majority" of people are complying with public health guidelines.

Gardaí have arrested a woman in an ongoing operation to disrupt the supply of drugs and contraband to prisoners attending a court in Co Cork. Officers said they searched a number of people in the vicinity of Mallow Court House under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 yesterday morning.

Legislation to provide private renters with additional protections during the coronavirus pandemic will not be retrospective to avoid any possible legal challenge, ministers have said. The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill 2020, which yesterday cleared the second stage in the Northe

The UN's special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights has raised concerns with the Irish Government over the impact of the Public Services Card (PSC) on the rights of welfare recipients. In his 40-page letter, Professor Philip Alston, a respected scholar of human rights law, questioned "wh