Northern Ireland

An inflationary increase in planning fees in Northern Ireland will come into effect next month. The Department for Infrastructure confirmed that an increase of approximately 12.3 per cent, the first since 2019, will be applied across all planning application categories from Thursday 6 April 2023.

Nathan Campbell, employment and business immigration associate at Belfast-based Cleaver Fulton Rankin, reflects on recent changes to the Immigration Rules and considers how the amendments could impact businesses in Northern Ireland. A new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules has been publi

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has determined that a 12-year sentence in relation to cultivating cannabis was not excessive, given the scope and value of the operation, and the control exercised by the accused. However, the court did reduce a separate sentence which had been applied concur

JMK Solicitors has been named as Northern Ireland's busiest personal injury firm for a ninth consecutive year. The firm was instructed in 1,512 cases last year, more than double that of the next busiest firm, according to figures obtained from the Compensation Recovery Unit inside the Department for

A woman who complained of sexual harassment and victimisation after a staff Christmas party has been awarded £18,857 by the Industrial Tribunal. Shirley Lyons, who worked as a designer/sales consultant with Starplan in Portadown from June 2013 until April 2018, was supported by the Equality Co

A new campaign is seeking to raise awareness of the support, services and redress available for victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland. From this week, advertisements will be running in regional and local newspapers and on social media platforms to ensure victims

A review of PSNI strip-searches of children and young people in custody will be carried out after concerns were raised by the Children's Law Centre (CLC). The Northern Ireland Policing Board said its human rights adviser will "review the compliance with human rights in how the PSNI addresses childre

Lawyers must continue to challenge the Northern Ireland courts to properly protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse, a prominent family lawyer has said. Claire Edgar, family law partner at Francis Hanna & Co Solicitors, was among the speakers at The Bar of Northern Ireland's recent confer

Northern Ireland’s High Court has allowed a judicial review application brought by a serving police constable seeking to prevent a disciplinary hearing into allegations of gross misconduct. The court found that judicial review here was appropriate, despite the fact that there were alternative

Northern Ireland's high street voucher scheme was introduced without regard for equality law obligations, the Equality Commission has found. The watchdog investigated following two individual complaints that the Department for the Economy had failed to comply with its own Equality Scheme commitments

UK law firm TLT has appointed Belfast-based renewable energy development expert David Miller as partner in the firm’s UK-wide real estate team. Mr Miller has over a decade of experience advising on the investment, sale and development of renewable energy projects as well as advising landowners

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has published a special podcast to mark International Women’s Day 2023. Hosted by radio and TV presenter Sarah Travers, the podcast features Paddy Kelly, former barrister and director of the Children’s Law Centre; Maria McCloskey, director of The PILS

Northern Ireland law firm Hewitt & Gilpin has relocated its headquarters from Belfast city centre to Holywood, Co Down. The firm, which retains an office in east Belfast, said the strategic move to larger premises on Holywood's High Street would extend its private client and commercial offering

Belfast firm Millar McCall Wylie has launched a new partnership with Cancer Fund for Children NI to raise valuable funds, awareness and support for the local charity. Emma Rooney, associate director with Millar McCall Wylie, leads the charity committee at the firm.

Belfast solicitor Alphonsus Maginness has been appointed to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) for a four-year term. Mr Maginness has practised as a solicitor for over 30 years. In February 1998 he was appointed chief legal adviser in what is now the Business Services Organisati