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

Legislation which will put adult safeguarding on a statutory footing has been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Adult Protection Bill will bring Northern Ireland in line with other parts of the UK, the Department of Health has said.

A proposed redress scheme has been branded "unfit for purpose" by a law firm acting for victims and survivors of mother and baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses in Northern Ireland. Legislation to establish a statutory public inquiry and a statutory redress scheme was announced by N

An application for judicial review against the Department of the Environment and Invest NI was listed in the High Court in Belfast yesterday. The court, which listed the case for hearing on 22 October with a review on 10 September, heard that the case of Al-Haq in England and Wales may have an impac

Northern Ireland personal injury firm JMK Solicitors has appointed 13 new associate directors across a number of departments. Steven Gilliland and Karl O’Hagan have been appointed as legal services associate directors.

Northern Ireland's Pro Bono Choir raised £4,000 for its charity partners at its annual summer concert this week.

Sir Gary Hickinbottom has been appointed as chair of the UK public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by loyalist paramilitaries. Today's announcement from Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn is a major step forward for the inquiry announced last September.

Children in Northern Ireland who are being exploited by paramilitaries and organised crime groups are not being formally identified as victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, according to new research.