Agriculture
We have the largest team of Agricultural solicitors in the country, offering practical and commercial advice to landowners, entrepreneurs, farming businesses, landed estates, institutions and others with interests in land and the wider rural economy. Our team is the national specialist in agricultural law and a trusted advisor ranked as a top tier team by independent legal guide Legal500.
Our agricultural disputes team advises upon and conducts litigation across a broad spectrum of rural and agricultural issues in England and Wales.
Michelmores also boasts a dedicated and highly respected Landed Estates and Rural Property team who deal with non-contentious rural and agricultural matters such as sale and purchases, tenancy agreements, contract farming agreements and farming structures.
Informed and proactive, we understand the demands and requirements placed on those operating in the sector. Our solicitors act for farmers, landowners, tenants, and agri-businesses of all sizes. As a client, you can expect us to have a thorough understanding of agricultural issues.
We advise across the whole agricultural sector "from plough to plate". We are assisted by one of the largest and most experienced private wealth teams outside London. Our private client and tax teams regularly advise farming families and landed estates on a wide range of personal matters from succession planning, to wealth preservation and trusts.
Our Agricultural team is supported by our dedicated Commercial, Corporate, Technology and Innovation, Intellectual Property, Food and Drink and Energy teams. Together, we are able to spot the emerging challenges to the sector and provide practical, commercial and technical advice to established agribusinesses, start-ups, investors and inventors with an agri-tech innovation. As well as advising domestic agribusinesses we also have significant experience in advising on investments into the emerging markets, advising clients such as the African Agriculture Fund and AgDevCo.
Not surprisingly, this ability to advise across all rural sector issues coupled with such depth of resources and experience ensures that we are seen by many as the leading firm for all agricultural law issues.
We are way ahead of our rivals for our strength and depth of experience agricultural specialists; our USP is the quality of our people and what they can offer to our clients. Contact our team of specialist agricultural solicitors today to find out how we can support you.
Related Areas
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- Coronavirus and business tenancies - landlords' rent collection options restricted further
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) - options for landowners facing busy public rights of way
- Coronavirus Business Legal Hour - 09.04.20
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) - further questions on residential eviction proceedings
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) - effect on rural businesses
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- Coronavirus - lease management for business landlords
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) and planning
- Coronavirus and rent - options for rural business landlords
- Coronavirus and property development
- Expert Valuer: Interpretation of contract and jurisdiction of courts
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- Climate Change Litigation: A new era as Dutch Courts lead the way
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- In Brief: Assets of community value
- Rural dwellings: The Housing Health and Safety Rating System and agricultural tenancies
- Learning the Law: Contracting out of repairing obligations for dwellings
- Electronic Communications Code: Interaction between the Code and the LTA 1954
- Agricultural Lore - Winter Edition 2020
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- The Agriculture Bill: A hasty revamp of the last one or real progress?
- Stamp Duty Land Tax: HMRC tightens "garden or grounds" loophole
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- Restrictive Covenants: Modifying covenants and Class Q
- Michelmores successfully opposes bridleway order
- Development: Pitfalls of agricultural tenancies
- Electronic Communications Code: Redeveloping to avoid Code rights
- Agricultural Lore - Special Edition
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- Electronic Communications Code: Excessive Costs Consequences
- Woodlands and estate planning
- Agricultural Lore - Summer Edition 2019
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- Case B or not to B?
- Michelmores at the 2019 Insects as Food and Feed (IFF) Conference
- Stamp Duty Land Tax: 'Mixed Use' claims
- Agricultural Lore - Winter Edition 2019
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- Farm business tenancies: Give us a break... but can you?
- Proprietary estoppel: The golden ticket to the family farm?
- Inheritance Tax - two more recent BPR cases
- The legal practicalities of unlocking natural capital assets
- Farm Partnerships: taking account of the accounts
- Learning the Law: Stamp Duty Land Tax on farm business tenancies
- Residential Tenancies: how strict are statute-prescribed time limits?
- The Agriculture Bill: Potential pitfalls behind the Bill
- Farm Business Tenancies: A dispute about disputes
- Land Transaction Tax: New Welsh Stamp Duty
- Farm Subsidies: Penalties for breaches committed by employees
- Compulsory purchase compensation: Pointe made
- Proprietary Estoppel: Another cowshed Cinderella inherits the farm
- Fracking: They doth protest too much?
- Agricultural Lore - Spring Edition 2018
- Essentials of the new apprenticeship levy
- Succession: Facilitating new entrants and exits
- Council Farms: A bird in the hand or cash in the bank?
- Farm Business Tenancies: Beyond the short term
- Agricultural holdings – Welsh ‘Model Clauses’ one step closer
- Farming partnerships: Why a gentleman’s agreement won’t cut the mustard
- Brexit: Naturally a capital idea...?
- Taxation: Where there’s relief, there’s a way
- Learning the Law – private nuisance
- Where there’s blame, there’s a claim: risk management tips for surveyors
- The Equality Act 2010: will it help the [Case A]ged?
- Agri Lore - Employment Tribunal fee regime abolished
- Planning: new guidance for farm shops, poly tunnels and reservoirs
- Inheritance Tax: two recent cases shed new light on Pawson
- Nothing to be feared from advances in farm technology
- Disputes: the future for cross-border disputes post Brexit
- Michelmores receives new UK-wide Chambers ranking for 2018
- Get clued up on farm tenancies and licenses
- Brexit proofing agricultural agreements: what this actually means
- Insect meal in aquaculture – sustainable protein in animal feed?
- The new Electronic Communications Code – what landowners need to know
- UK-China pork export deal highlights global opportunities for UK Agriculture
- Frack to the future? Two cases test the current regulatory framework on fracking
- Agricultural Lore - Autumn Edition 2017
- Agricultural Lore - Summer Edition 2017
- Shoot beaters and pickers up: right to work, minimum wages and Real Time Information
- Agricultural Tenancies: Addressing a change of address
- The muddy waters of employment status
- Registered land titles when the course of a river changes
- Arbitrators’ own legal advisers and other procedural issues
- Inheritance – getting your ducks in a row
- Branch out to enjoy benefits of woodland ownership
- Farm buyer bound by easement granted during registration gap
- Employment: the good, the bad and the ugly of social media
- Independent expert: one instruction too many?
- Fracking and the rights of landowners
- Joint venture disputes: a lesson in kitchen sink litigation
- Service of property notices by email
- Agricultural Lore - Winter Edition 2017
- Planning: the conversion conundrum
- Learning the law - Agricultural charges
- Disputes: The privileged few
- Notices to quit: Beware the gap trap!
- Are listed buildings exempt from EPC and MEES restrictions?
- Public rights of way: Landowner’s obligations
- Inheritance Tax
- Agricultural Lending: equitable doctrine of marshalling
- Residential lettings: March of the regulations
- Taking the complication out of overage arrangements
- Rights over land: Defences and duties
- Family partnerships: two High Court decisions
- Case A: A quick route to possession?
- Are birds really trained to attack drones?
- Establishing a rural right of way
- Option Agreements: The Devil is in ("the Detail")
- Optimism is key in looking to our future outside EU
- A Brexistential Crisis for agriculture?
- Permitted Development of Agricultural Buildings
- Charging Orders
- ‘No-scheme World’ Valuation: what is the Pointe?
- Learning the Law - Rights of way by prescription
- Michelmores sponsors Food and Farming awards
- Landlord and tenant’s position on forfeiture
- Agricultural drone use
- Certificates of Bad Husbandry
- A cautionary tale for active farmers
- Building Regulations – A Reminder
- Looking at all the options
- Insect as an alternative source of protein
- Opening the floodgates
- Persons with significant control
- Forfeiture – practical tips
- My first Seat: Agricultural Property Litigation
- Adam Corbin successfully passes CAAV
- 'Easier and simpler planning regulations to be welcomed'
- Update for tenants: No implied term for a rent rebate
- Michelmores sponsors 'Sporting Legends Dinner'
- Repairing Obligations - A matter of contract?
- RPA - Disputes resolution process
- Join us for our Bristol Harbourside Shaun-ter!
- How the new Model Clauses impact on Farm Business Tenancies and 1986 Act Tenancies
- A root and branch discussion on occupier's liability for trees
- Is Insect Farming the answer to Food Security?
- Michelmores' Bristol office celebrates three-fold growth
- CRAR and the Impact on Farmhouses
- Second Seat: Agricultural Property Litigation
- Concerns Over the Effect that Flooding has had on Business in the South West
- Succession: When is it Fair and Reasonable for an Applicant to Succeed?
- Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery – a Changing Landscape
- Renewable Energy Opportunities in the Land and Agricultural Sectors
- Keeping it in the Family
- Legal definition of 'free range' helps consumers make an ethical choice
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Meet the team























Recent experience
- Acting for a landed estate in connection with the grant of an option to a quality house builder. The deal included finding alternative farm land for an agricultural tenant and provided for the development of the site in various phases. The land owner was keen to maintain the integrity and high reputation of the estate amongst the local community.
- Advising on the corporate disposal of a £multi-million commercial farming operation, including advising on complex taxation considerations.
- Purchasing a substantial agricultural farming company, which involved a team of 15 lawyers who provided strategic advice on the corporate, planning, environmental, employment, development opportunities, commercial contracts and property matters, which extended to some 2500 acres of farmland, 35 residential properties, commercial lets and joint venture agreements over a further 1500 acres.
- Advising the owner of a large estate of nearly 1000 acres as they encountered financial difficulties and went into administration. Specialist insolvency expertise was obtained within the Firm and negotiations were conducted with both the administrator and the tenant. These negotiations resulted in an excellent outcome for the landlord.
- Acting for a substantial farming business, who became the subject of a hostile claim for all of their land and business assets. This was a highly complex case, which involved the gathering and preparation of numerous detailed witness statements, recounting events going back over 30 years.
- Advising landed estates in connection with the grant and administration of agricultural and sporting tenancies.