Cyber Attacks: A wake-up call for retail businesses
Recent outages affecting major global platforms hosted on Amazon Web Services serve as a stark reminder that cybersecurity incidents are a growing threat for modern retail businesses. News stories of...
Deconstructing Skilled Worker Visa changes: What they mean for the hospitality sector
Significant restrictions to the Skilled Worker visa route were implemented in July 2025, bringing major consequences to the hospitality sector, one of the largest sectors in the UK for employing...
Martyn’s Law: Guidance for venues, premises and event organisers
Businesses, including those in the retail sector, need to ready themselves for full implementation of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 expected in Spring 2027. This law will introduce...
Stephen McDonagh
It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our dear partner, Stephen McDonagh. Stephen had a remarkable life. Before he turned to law, he was a...
Finding common ground: INEOS FPS LTD v Scottish Environment Protection Agency
A recent decision of the Scottish Land Court highlights the court system’s overall aim in ensuring balance, proportionality and fairness in relationships between regulators and duty holders. The UK Emissions...
The dangers of late payment of commercial debts
Late payment of commercial debts remains a persistent issue in the UK, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Despite longstanding legal protections, many businesses continue to suffer from delayed payments...
Soft opt-in for charities: What the new email marketing rules mean for you
There’s good news for charities that would like to be able to contact more of their supporters and raise aware of their good causes. The rules on direct marketing by...
Americans buying a UK home – what are the UK tax considerations?
For Americans relocating to the UK, purchasing a main residence is a major milestone. While the UK offers a relatively stable property market and attractive lifestyle options, it is important...
Anderson Strathern Inquiries Unit lead named Lawyer of the Year
Our Partner Catriona Watt, co-leader of the firm’s Inquiries Unit has been named Lawyer of the Year at this year’s Scottish Legal Awards. Catriona picked up the title at the...
Anderson Strathern grows senior team with 12 new appointments
Our firm has recently announced the appointment of five partners and seven directors – strengthening our services across several growth areas. The three new recruits and nine internal promotions will...
Anderson Strathern partners named winners Scottish Women’s Awards
Two of our partners were among the winners of this year’s Scottish Women Awards. Catriona Watt and Sarah Phillips picked up the ‘Best Professional in Business’ title at the awards,...
Pet ownership and separation
The UK is a nation of pet lovers with approximately 51% of adults owning a pet. For many, pets are often considered cherished members of the family, and disputes over...
Data Protection and Intellectual Property disputes in Scotland: Opportunities arising from procedural differences
As the major data protection and intellectual property statutes apply to the whole of the UK, procedural distinctions between Scottish and English courts and differences in enforcement are perhaps the...
Financial separation on divorce: Scotland vs England
While Scotland and England are both part of the UK, their legal approaches to financial separation on divorce differ significantly. Understanding these differences is important for anyone facing cross-border family...
Insolvency update – onerous property and disclaiming in Scotland
The Insolvency Act 1986 applies UK-wide so surely there isn’t much difference between an English corporate insolvency and a Scottish corporate insolvency? Well, there is certainly considerable overlap between the...
Rural Webinar: Legal Updates for Rural Scotland
Join us on Wednesday the 29th of October for a focused online session hosted by our colleagues in our Rural and Private Client Teams. Expert speakers Karen Craig and Debbie...
Is the family farm at risk when you or one of your business partners walks down aisle?
Whilst the bride and groom may be focussed on floral arrangements, guest lists and trying to avoid the notorious blackening, other family members might be considering the impact of the...
Getting the most out of your Occupational Health referral: A practical guide for HR professionals
Occupational health (OH) referrals are crucial in effective people management. Whether you’re supporting an employee through a period of ill health, managing long-term absence, or navigating complex workplace adjustments, a...
Why getting the right advice on LBTT and ADS matters more than ever
Today saw Angela Rayner resign as Deputy Prime Minister following recent controversy surrounding alleged underpayment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), reigniting public and professional scrutiny of property tax compliance....
Employment Rights Bill – what’s changed?
The Employment Rights Bill continues to evolve, with the Government introducing a series of amendments that reshape key aspects of the legislation. What’s the headline? Employers have more time to...
Act now to get ahead of potential Inheritance Tax changes
With a projected £50 billion shortfall in public finances and a pledge not to raise income tax, National Insurance or VAT, speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves may turn...
Housing (Scotland) Bill: What rural landlords need to know at stage 2
The Housing (Scotland) Bill sets out a range of reforms intended to enhance rights for tenants and introduce new duties to prevent homelessness. This will inevitably impact landlords in the...
Tenants may be due tax refund for Scottish lease extensions
A recent decision by Scotland’s tax tribunal has overturned long-standing Revenue Scotland and HMRC guidance, opening the door for commercial property tenants to claim back tax they were wrongly told...
Crofting law reform – The Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill 2025
The Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill (“the Bill”) was introduced by the Scottish Government on 2 June 2025. It sets out proposed reforms to crofting legislation and the merger...
Inheritance tax reform – long-term residence in the UK
The UK Government’s decision to move from a domicile-based to a residence-based inheritance tax (IHT) regime with effect from 6 April 2025 marks a seismic change for British expatriates considering...
The Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI) – What you need to remember
The Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (or the “RCI” for short) was a hot topic last year, with the 1st of April deadline for submitting entries....
Repairing Standard: Is your property fit to be rented privately?
The Repairing Standard was established by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and specifies the minimum level of repair a house must achieve to be used as privately rented accommodation in...
Why guests are your biggest problem when it comes to protecting your staff
UK hospitality businesses could be unwittingly landed in hot water by guests when the Employment Rights Bill comes into force next year. Most employers are aware of the ‘headline’ provisions...
AI-generated content – the hidden legal dangers for SMEs
AI has become a topic that some people in business simply do not want to talk about, do not want to read about, and don’t really want to understand until...
Misogyny in Music: Legal Challenges and Industry Reform
On 4 June 2025, the Women and Equalities Committee published its Fifth Report (Session 2024–25), “Misogyny in Music: On Repeat,” revisiting systemic misogyny and discrimination within the UK music industry....