Jan Contents
President's message: important changes will take place in 2008, but the Society is already planning for 2010 and beyond in order to keep pace with what it foresees by then
The Scottish Young Lawyers Association calls on all young lawyers to contribute from their experience to the consultation on alternative business structures
Interview with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill on his view that the profession should produce the blueprint for the future of legal services, and other issues
Settlement negotiations in personal injury cases, and the Pre-Action Protocol, are being undermined by insurers relying on a software program designed to reduce their costs
An update from Registers of Scotland on the pending rollout of Automated Registration of Title to Land
Latest cases show the courts in the UK and South Africa continuing to grapple with issues arising from the Child Abduction Convention
The third article on the summary justice reforms considers the changes in court structures and the lay justice court being phased in under the new legislation
A look at what is still the potential for future development of hydroelectric power, and some of the key regulatory, environmental and legal issues
An update on preparations for the coming of the Scottish Legal Complaints Cimmission
Law Society of Scotland supports schools chess tournament
The Society has recently approved a new specialist accreditation, for private client tax practitioners
The Society's education and training review is about to enter the stage of presenting detailed policy proposals for comment and feedback
The UK Law Societies' joint Brussels office is moving to new and better premises closer to the key decision makers in the EU
Briefings on the office head; the Charter of Fundamental Rights; and the negotiations on new rules for agency workers and working time
The real threats to small practices are the problem of recruiting, and looming succession issues. But there are strategies that can, and should, be adopted now
Latest civil cases, including court timetabling; the instance; amendment; recovery of documents; family cases appeals; expenses; antisocial behaviour closure orders
Some headline developments over the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, and the rollout of test purchasing
Draft regulations seek to define the various levels of planning application in the hierarchy under the 2006 Act
The English courts have been grappling with the question whether a financial award on divorce amounts to an unfair preference in bankruptcy
A new procedure for scrutinising major transport projects in Scotland is now in force, with applications going before a dedicated unit rather than a parliamentary committee
Reports relating to Paul Robert Anderson; Carl Alexander Crone; Hamish Louden Melrose; Neil Iain Woodrow
Some practical advice on dealing with the divergence between the Scottish and English definitions of charity
Review of the CJ Scotland site for criminal lawyers
Review of The Law of Contract in Scotland (McBryde)
The Information Commissioner has ruled on the extent of protection applying to information obtained during grievance or disciplinary proceedings
The Information Commissioner's decision to order release of the PFI contract for Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is not the landmark that some appear to believe
Author's view that current practice as to conveyancing of common parts in housing developments is of doubtful validity and could be storing up trouble for the future