Sarah Rhodes

Overview

I am a Senior Associate in the Agricultural team at Michelmores. I joined the Firm in February 2021, having trained and worked previously at a firm in Central London.

I advise in all areas of contentious and advisory work in the agricultural sector. I specialise, in particular, in land-based disputes, including landlord and tenant disputes (both under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995), farming partnership disputes, rights of way disputes, contentious succession applications, and other general property disputes. I have experience in dealing with matters involving different spheres of litigation proceedings including Court-based disputes, proceedings before the First Tier Tribunal, and arbitrations pursuant to the Arbitration Act 1995. I have also experience in dealing with public law disputes including a claim for judicial review at the Administrative Court in London.

I advise and work closely with a range of different farming clients on a national level, including private landowners, tenants, high net worth individuals, institutional landowners, and landed estates.

I also have experience in dealing with non-contentious matters within the agricultural sector. This work has included drafting agricultural tenancy documentation, and advising on the provisions of the Environment Act 2021 and the new biodiversity net gain requirements. I have also advised upon a range of tenancy related issues for both tenant and landlord clients.

Recent experience

Acting in a family farming dispute and defending a claim which involved issues of partnership law, wills and probate, and proprietary estoppel

Advising and acting in arbitrations involving Notices to Quit served by landlords under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 for both landlord and tenant clients

Advising on issues relating to the terms of agricultural tenancies (both tenancies pursuant to the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and those pursuant to the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995) from the perspective of both landlord and tenant clients

Acting and advising in relation to several applications for succession to tenancies pursuant to the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 on behalf of both potential applicants for succession and responding landowner clients

Acting on a judicial review claim challenging a decision made by a local authority to add a new footpath to the Definitive Map

Advising a public authority on issues of occupiers liability