News

An investigation has been launched into the removal of pews from a former church owned by a prominent ballet boss amid concerns that COVID-19 is providing cover for unauthorised work. The 192-year-old St Stephen's church building in Edinburgh, Scotland has been owned since 2017 by Peter Schaufuss, f

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a man sentenced to life imprisonment for murder who was subsequently transferred to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). The court was asked to consider whether a long-term prisoner who has been transferred to the CMH, on foot of a diagnosis of mental illn

Matheson will welcome dozens of newly-qualified solicitors and student interns this summer in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, managing partner Michael Jackson has said. The firm has over 700 employees working from home and has been working hard to translate its in-person training and development pro

US-based non-profit Whistleblower Aid has expanded into Ireland in partnership with Dublin-based O’Sullivan Kenny Solicitors. The organisation, which provides free support to employees who want to report and publicise concerns about their workplace "safely, lawfully and responsibly", rose to p

Law students Kelvin Martins and Niall Mulvihill have been awarded the inaugural renewable energy bursary set up by Arthur Cox for students researching hydrogen and construction law. The bursary is being run this year for the first time in memory of the late Niamh Burke by Arthur Cox and her family.

Lawyers for a number of families with relatives in care homes across Northern Ireland have called for a statutory inquiry into the rate of coronavirus deaths in care homes. Belfast firm KRW LAW LLP has written to Health Minister Robin Swann on behalf of families alarmed by alleged failures in terms

People fleeing domestic abuse will be able to access free public transport under plans being developed by the Departments of Justice and Infrastructure. Justice Minister Naomi Long and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon agreed to work together to explore the idea after a meeting yesterday.

A new book with contributions from Irish mediators offers advice on how to maintain relationships during the coronavirus pandemic. Living Together, Separating, Divorcing: Surviving During a Pandemic includes advice from over 70 leading mediators and professionals from 10 countries.

Sixty-six per cent of women in the legal profession in the UK say the coronavirus crisis is having an impact on their mental health, with over a third experiencing a drop in income and 67 per cent reporting that the organisation they work for has furloughed staff. The drop in income did not appear t

In the latest of a series of recommendations for lawyers staving off boredom in lockdown, the Law Society of Ireland's director general Ken Murphy recommends Hilary Mantel's latest. My big (800-plus page) recent read has been Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and The Light – the glorious comple

Family migration rules have been amended for people in Northern Ireland in line with the deal struck in January to restore devolution. Under the new immigration rules, family members of British or dual British-Irish citizens from Northern Ireland will be able to apply for status under the EU settlem

An ice cream shop in Hong Kong has launched a "tear gas" flavour in support of the region's pro-democracy movement. After experimenting with wasabi and mustard, the 31-year-old shop owner eventually settled on black peppercorns as the main ingredient.

An interim care order for an unaccompanied child victim of trafficking has been granted in the first-ever remote hearing of a District Court case. The Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) attended the remote Dublin District Court hearing and has published a report of proceedings.

A motion to remove the controversial Guerin Report from the Oireachtas library was withdrawn from the Dáil agenda after a row between parties. The motion was included in the order of business announced yesterday, to be taken on Thursday without debate and an immediate division.

Immigration permissions due to expire between 20 May and 20 July 2020 will be automatically extended for two months, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has announced. The measure includes people in Ireland on short stay visas or awaiting first registration, as well as those whose permissions were alr