A sharp slice of what matters in Scottish law

Scotland's most senior judge has warned that growing reliance on artificial intelligence in the legal system could undermine public confidence in justice. Lord Pentland, the Lord President, said AI can help analyse cases, prepare arguments and improve efficiency, but stressed it should remain a supplementary tool rather than a substitute for judicial reasoning. Speaking in Glasgow, he cautioned that overdependence on AI could weaken critical legal analysis and warned of serious consequences if the technology is misused by lawyers. While recognising AI's potential benefits, he said judges must not "outsource their thinking" to algorithms.

 

Daily Mail (Scot)

 

The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) is examining whether Peter Murrell's frozen assets could be used to cover his legal costs, despite his eligibility for legal aid. Assets linked to the former SNP chief executive include pension funds worth more than £600,000 and a share of the former marital home he owned with Nicola Sturgeon, although both remain frozen pending the outcome of criminal proceedings. While Scotland's legal aid system has no specific mechanism for recovering costs from frozen assets released after conviction, a SLAB spokesman said the board was considering whether other legal measures could be used in Murrell's case. Separately, John Swinney has said it is for the courts to decide whether Sturgeon should return gifts bought for her by Murrell using embezzled SNP funds, after the former first minister acknowledged that some presents had been purchased with stolen money.

 

Glasgow Evening Times

The Times

The Daily Record

The Press and Journal

Senior law lecturer Scott Styles argues that a recent Court of Session ruling against the Scottish Government marks a significant victory for transparency and accountability in Scotland. The case centred on the finding that Scottish ministers were in contempt after failing to comply with an order from the Scottish Information Commissioner to release material linked to the Alex Salmond affair. Styles contends that governments have long delayed and resisted Freedom of Information requests, and welcomes the ruling as evidence that the courts are prepared to challenge such practices.

 

Herald Scotland

 

A Scottish fishing company boss has become the first person in the country convicted of breaching a human trafficking prevention order. Thomas Nicholson, 63, was fined £2,700 after failing to notify authorities when a vessel linked to his firm was moved from the Netherlands to Moray. Nicholson's company, TN Trawlers, has faced longstanding trafficking and exploitation allegations, while separate proceedings continue against his son over the treatment of Ghanaian fishermen.

 

BBC News

The Times

A fatal accident inquiry into the death of two-month-old Michael Wilson will be held later this year. The baby died in October 2021 after being born at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. The inquiry will examine pre-operation assessments, the recording of inherited conditions and information-sharing between health boards.

 

BBC News

Keir Starmer has called on tech companies to implement device controls preventing children from sending or receiving sexually explicit images. Manufacturers will be forced to introduce built-in features on smartphones and tablets that can detect and block such images. The Prime Minister warned that if firms do not comply within three months, the Government will introduce legislation to enforce these measures.

 

BBC News

The Times

Shoosmiths has allocated an additional £1m to its bonus pool to enhance AI fluency among staff. A new accreditation programme includes four certification levels - AI Aware, AI Practitioner, AI Advanced, and AI Leaders - and looks to address gaps in AI adoption. Chief executive David Jackson said: "We've created an AI fluency framework to equip our people with the skills that they will need to thrive in an AI age."

 

City AM

CMS has announced 40 promotions across its Scottish offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, including the appointment of employment disputes specialists Andy Atwell and Jenni Darling as Of Counsel. The promotions also include eight Senior Associates and 30 colleagues across legal, business services and support teams.

 

Press Release

US police preparing for the World Cup have travelled to Scotland and Germany to study football fan behaviour, including crowd surges, rival supporter clashes and the use of pyrotechnics. Kansas City police chief Stacey Graves said officers were learning how to de-escalate tensions and manage challenges unfamiliar to American law enforcement. More than 1,300 officers will be deployed during the tournament, with special measures in place to tackle flares.

 

The Times