Opinion

Hamish Lean provides an update on the rural property market. The Scottish Land Commission has recently published the Rural Land Market Insights Report 2023, which provides an in-depth analysis of the landowner and buyer motivations over the 2023 period whilst also giving insight into emerging rural

Duncan Bauchop delves into the repercussions of recent legislative changes in Scotland's private rental sector, discussing how emergency provisions and impending long-term rent controls are impacting landlords and tenants, potentially eroding the housing base. On 2nd June 2020, residents of Eas

Lesley Grant and Kimberley Tochel of BTO Solicitors LLP flag risks for employers following a recent ruling. An employee claiming disability discrimination has been awarded more than £134,000 in compensation. The recent Employment Tribunal judgment in Brosnan v Coalo Limited underscores the ass

Gregor Duthie analyses the burgeoning growth of the student accommodation industry in Scotland, highlighting the surge in demand, the transformation of traditional housing options, and the strategic considerations developers must address to meet evolving student preferences and requirements. Over th

Debra Phillips discusses the challenges faced by scaling SMEs in Scotland, particularly in terms of inadequate government support and funding, the complexities of exporting post-Brexit, highlighting the need for a more robust business support ecosystem to foster growth and economic contribution. Wit

In light of proposed changes by the Prime Minister, financial planning expert Rhian Morgan delves into the details of the nil-rate bands in the context of inheritance tax. With the Prime Minister proposing changes to inheritance tax and potentially looking at the possibility of abolishing it complet

Following the release of the new R&D tax relief statistics, tax expert Sara Kelly provides analysis on the mixed outcomes observed, highlighting the increase in support received by companies, especially SMEs, in the post-pandemic innovation boom in IT and manufacturing sectors. The latest resear

Nicola Ross delves into the prevalent issue of late payments affecting various businesses, discussing implications and outlining preventative measures, strategies for resolution including credit control, litigation, and mediation. Recently Etsy and Amazon have been outed for withholding funds f

Nathan Davis discusses the implications of new sustainability reporting standards including the EU’s Corporate Social Reporting Directive and the International Sustainability Standards Board's measures on UK businesses, particularly SMEs. As part of the global effort to address sustainability

Considering the challenges and opportunities currently present in the Scottish investment landscape, Bob Hair, Scotland regional head at Cazenove Capital, discusses his firm's support for next month's Invest2Scale gathering in Edinburgh, focusing on its role in aiding revenue-generating Scottish com

As the pandemic’s aftershocks reverberate through the financial ecosystem, insolvency law specialists are bracing for an overwhelming influx of fraud-based legal cases, writes Alan Munro. The pandemic required the government to provide fast and extensive support to keep businesses and ind

For those seeking to grow their business, finding the right venture capital partner can be a game-changer, however figures released earlier this year showed that venture capital activity in Scotland had dropped. Corporate finance expert James Woodward provides business owners with practical insights

Experienced commercial and corporate lawyer Catherine Feechan writes about the considerations of selling a business and discusses the importance of due diligence, confidentiality, deal structure, and valuation to ensure a successful sale. Selling your business is a big decision and one you want to g

Aberdeen-based Neil Thomson discusses the challenges and strategies related to international workforce mobility in the global energy sector, emphasising the importance of compliance with visa and immigration regulations. In the dynamic landscape of global energy projects, time is of the essence. Swi

Dr David McBeth, Vice-Principal (Enterprise & Economic Transformation), discusses how the University of Dundee has come out on top of other UK institution for producing successful spinout companies, particularly in life and biomedical sciences, and outlines the factors contributing to this