Northern Ireland

Fermanagh is in danger of becoming a "legal aid desert" as a result of cuts to courts, custody suits and legal aid, the Law Society of Northern Ireland has warned.

Northern Ireland personal injury law firm JMK Solicitors has raised £10,000 for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland in the first six months of the year in collaboration with CRASH Services and Granite Exchange. Between January and June, their teams took part in a variety of activities, with a signif

Northern Ireland’s High Court has quashed a decision by the Department of Infrastructure to proceed with the first phase of the A5 dual carriageway project. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden stated that he was aware that his decision would bring “fresh an

The Northern Ireland courts will be asked to rule on the definition of "sex" in equality law after the Equality Commission said there was "significant legal uncertainty" in the wake of a landmark UK Supreme Court ruling with implications for trans rights. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in April

Belfast firm Davidson McDonnell has celebrated 10 years since its establishment. Established by Ross Davidson and David McDonnell in 2015, the firm now provides corporate/M&A, property, commercial litigation and banking advice to many of Northern Ireland's largest business names.

The UK's Ministry of Defence is to pay an undisclosed sum of damages to the family of a teenage victim of the Troubles following a settlement reached without admission of liability. The High Court in Northern Ireland yesterday heard that a settlement had been reached in the 15-year legal battle over

Spiking and other new criminal offences being set to be introduced in Northern Ireland as well as England and Wales. Naomi Long, the justice minister, has introduced legislative consent motions to allow some provisions of the UK government's Crime and Policing Bill to be extended to Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's Department of Justice has said it is engaging with the UK government on the proposed ban in England and Wales of pornography depicting strangulation. The Ministry of Justice announced last week that it would bring forward a legislative amendment criminalising pornography which dep

Northern Ireland's High Court has granted leave for a judicial review focused on whether there is discrimination in the allocation of funding aimed at tackling educational disadvantage. Two schoolchildren from Belfast and Derry, anonymised as JR 338 and 339, are challenging the selection methodology

Belfast-based MKB Law has appointed Kelly Shaw as its new head of family law, succeeding director Anne Marie Kelly who has retired. Ms Kelly, who qualified in 1985 and co-founded MKB Law in 2003 with Gordon McElroy, will continue to support the firm in a consultancy role.

Northern Ireland could move to an entirely no-fault system of divorce in the biggest shake-up for nearly 50 years under plans currently out for consultation. The Department of Finance is consulting on three options for divorce law reform: bringing Northern Ireland in line with the regime south of th

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has called for urgent legislative changes to better protect legal professionals following a rise in solicitors facing harassment, threats and intimidation. Solicitors who have faced direct threats or abuse in the course of their work have joined a new group on sol

Carson McDowell has announced a new three-year partnership with Ulster University's Belfast School of Art to support its annual graduate showcase. The partnership was formally launched at an exclusive preview event for the 2025 exhibition, held earlier this month at the university’s Belfast ca

Gateley has welcomed Catherine Heyes, Chris Jennings and Chris Francis to its Northern Ireland legal team. Both joining the firm's residential property and conveyancing team, Ms Heyes has been appointed as legal director and Mr Jennings as solicitor.

An independent panel tasked with reviewing environmental governance in Northern Ireland has published its interim report. The panel was appointed by agriculture, environment and rural affairs minister Andrew Muir in November 2024 and is considering a number of options for strengthening environmental