Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has determined that a minimum tariff of 20 years for the premeditated murder of the late Lu Na McKinney “signalled a permissible move towards higher tariffs to reflect the horrific elements of this crime”. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appe

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has been re-accredited by the United Nations as an A-status national human rights institution in spite of concerns over budget cuts. The watchdog received an emergency funding boost last September after an independent review found its budget was "

Grainne Kirk and Emily McGleenon of Northern Ireland firm Tughans consider the risks associated with a common construction industry practice. A common practice adopted by employers in the construction industry is to skip the process of serving a payment notice on a payee, and instead wrap the valuat

A prominent Belfast solicitor has raised concerns about the extent of PSNI surveillance of lawyers and journalists following revelations in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal today. The tribunal today began hearing a case brought by Northern Ireland journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey to es

The UK's Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) is today hearing a complaint from two Northern Ireland journalists who believe they were subject to police surveillance.

A six-part TV drama based on the 2018 Belfast rugby rape trial is reportedly in production. Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted in March 2018 following a high-profile trial in which they were accused of raping a woman in Belfast in 2016.

Maria O'Loan of Tughans writes on the implications for Northern Ireland businesses of new UK and EU carbon measures. The UK government has launched its consultation on the introduction of a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) which closes on 13 June 2024.

Northern Ireland is set to ban the sale and supply of single-use vapes by April 2025 alongside other parts of the UK. Officials from Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales have been collaborating on a proposed UK-wide ban, which will be enacted through separate legislation being brought in ea

The BBC has instructed lawyers to write to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) amid allegations of unlawful surveillance by the PSNI. Former BBC journalist Vincent Kearney believes that the PSNI "may have attempted to identify sources of information" related to an episode of Spotlight focusing o

Northern Ireland solicitor Michael Glover has been handed an 18-month sentence suspended for two years after admitting he defrauded clients to tune of £120,000. Mr Glover, formerly of Carrickfergus firm Glover & King, pleaded guilty to 29 counts of fraud by abuse of his position and one of

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has determined that while Northern Ireland's religious education curriculum was conveyed in breach of the “objectivity test” enunciated by the European Court of Human Rights, no breach of Article 2, Protocol 1 ECHR had occurred. Delivering judgmen

Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has launched a global 'digital legal delivery' practice, a new multidisciplinary group bringing together its most inventive legal and tech minds. The move builds on the firm's 2011 launch of its alternative legal services (ALT) team, headquartered in Bel

Belfast lawyer Matthew Higgins is to walk the 500-mile Camino de Santiago in aid of WAVE Trauma Centre this weekend. Mr Higgins, a criminal defence lawyer and partner at HHD Solicitors, will set off on Saturday to walk the ancient pilgrimage route in north-west Spain.

The UK's controversial new legacy law has come into force, bringing a premature end to dozens of inquests and investigations related to killings during the Troubles. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which the Irish government is challenging in a rare interstate app

Legislation giving homeowners 30 years to bring compensation claims in relation to defective buildings will be brought to the Northern Ireland Assembly shortly. Communities minister Gordon Lyons yesterday confirmed that the Executive had approved the proposed Defective Premises Bill, which will "bri