Northern Ireland

A record sum of nearly £120 million was paid out in legal aid to solicitors and barristers in Northern Ireland in 2024/25, according to the latest official figures. The statistical bulletin published by the Legal Services Agency (LSA) yesterday covers both criminal and civil cases and provides

Northern Ireland firm Millar McCall Wylie (MMW) has welcomed newly-qualified solicitors Emma Ewing, Josh Graham, James McClean, Eimhear Bell, Tara Murphy and Tiernan Canavan. Ms Ewing has joined the corporate team, Mr Graham has joined the employment team, Mr McClean and Ms Bell have joined the resi

Belfast-based Francis Hanna & Co Solicitors has welcomed Naomi Gordon and Peter McErlean as degree apprentices under a new Ulster University scheme. The four-year course allows apprentices to work four days a week in an approved legal practice and study at the university one day a week.

Victims of miscarriages of justice in Northern Ireland will no longer lose part of their compensation payments to account for money saved on rent and mortgage payments during their imprisonment. The so-called "saved living expenses" deduction has been scrapped, bringing Northern Ireland into line wi

Solicitors have urged the Law Society of Northern Ireland to intervene against plans to lower the standard of proof applied by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for Northern Ireland. The tribunal currently applies the criminal standard of proof, meaning that allegations must be proved beyond reas

Five apprentices at Northern Ireland personal injury firm JMK Solicitors have secured places at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS).

Two solicitors who were subject to unlawful surveillance by the PSNI have said they will bring it to the attention of Northern Ireland's miscarriages of justice body. PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher issued a personal apology to Peter Corrigan and Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law after the McCullough

Human rights organisations have repeated a call for a public inquiry into allegations of spying on journalists and lawyers in Northern Ireland following the conclusion of an independent review into the PSNI. In a report running to more than 200 pages, Angus McCullough KC concluded that there is "no

DWF has strengthened its Belfast team with 19 new appointments, including a new partner, two directors, three newly-qualified solicitors, seven trainee solicitors, and six additional legal professionals.

The UK and Irish governments have jointly appointed an independent expert to consider whether there should be formal engagement with paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland to help disband them. Fleur Ravensbergen, an independent conflict resolution and negotiation practitioner and a lecturer in con

Rights organisations could fall back on the UK-EU international dispute settlement procedure to defend human rights in Northern Ireland if the UK government wins in a major UK Supreme Court case, according to a new report. The report, published by Social Change Initiative (SCI) in partnership with t

The Probation Board for Northern Ireland has launched a public consultation on its next corporate plan. The 12-week consultation will help to develop the board's corporate plan for 2026–29, which will set out the strategic direction of the organisation over the next three years.

Solicitor Sarah Havlin has been appointed as a presiding member of Northern Ireland's civil legal services appeals panels, with seven other lawyers appointed as members. The independent panel considers appeals regarding the granting of legal aid in civil cases.

Northern Ireland firm Wilson Nesbitt has grown its dispute resolution team to eight members following a series of appointments. New team members include senior solicitor Scott Smid and legal executive Órla Eves.

The UK and Irish governments on Friday published a joint framework for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles, hailed by Simon Harris as "a return to a partnership approach on Northern Ireland". The seven-page document was launched at Hillsborough Castle by the UK's Northern Ireland secretary,