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  1. Agriculture and estates
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At Farrer & Co, highly regarded lawyers such as Simon Pring, Henry Goulding, Paul Krafft and James Maxwell ‘complement each other with a blend of experience and youth’, and the department as a whole is valued for its ‘business acumen and industry knowledge’. In 2011, Maxwell assisted the Duchy of Lancaster in the purchase of 1,000 acres of Grade 1 farmland at Donnington for £10m, a matter involving intricate overage arrangements. The firm also acted for longstanding client Church Commissioners for England on the purchase of a £12.6m portfolio of potential development land from UK Coal. Rhoddy Voremberg ‘explains issues in a clear and concise way’, and Catherine McAleavey has ‘enormous knowledge of her subject’. Edmund Fetherston-Dilke is also very well regarded.

‘Excellent for both one-off advice and long-term involvement’, Bircham Dyson Bell LLP provides a comprehensive service in the buying and selling of property, tax planning, and tenancy legislation. Christopher Findley is ‘one of the country’s leading agricultural lawyers’; and Henry Cecil is ‘a calming influence in difficult situations’.

Boodle Hatfield LLP is praised for its ‘refreshing, can-do attitude’, and noted for its ability to handle the HMRC proportionately. The firm acts for more than 60 landed estates, often in matters of high complexity with sophisticated offshore elements. Natasha Hassall and Sue Laing are known for their ability to establish a rapport with family members. Clients include Grosvenor Estates, Bedford Estate, Folkestone Estate and Northumberland Estate.

Burges Salmon LLP has ‘specialists in a wide range of areas’, and has a strong record advising families over many generations on complex matters. In 2011, the firm represented The Crown Estate and The National Trust in various court, arbitration, and agricultural land tribunal proceedings. Tom Hewitt ‘expresses complicated issues in a way the client understands’; William Neville ‘leaves no stone unturned’; and Alastair Morrison is ‘an experienced conveyancing lawyer’.

Led by the highly regarded Christopher Page, Charles Russell LLP’s offering is split between London and Cheltenham. Page’s team carries out high-value tax and succession planning, as well as advising on the provision of loan facilities, high-value agricultural probates, and offshore matters. Robert Blower has expertise in heritage property exemptions, and Bart Peerless is expert in tax matters; both have superb reputations.

The ‘wise’ team at Forsters LLP handled a range of work in 2011, including a large mansion purchase, intricate tax planning for a farming business, and significant agricultural restructurings. Penny Elliott is ‘not afraid to give strong advice’; and Craigie Pearson is ‘quick to grasp issues’. Rupert Mead, noted for his ‘calm approach’, has been promoted to partner, as has Peter Golden.

Hunters acts for family-owned land holdings, often retaining clients over the course of generations. Patricia Sykes has an excellent reputation, and Edward Martineau has longstanding experience in fulfilling the trustee role in large estates. The firm’s merger in 2011 with Vernor-Miles & Noble added conveyancing expert James Vernor-Miles to the team.

The ‘prompt’ team at Macfarlanes LLP is headed by the highly esteemed John Hornby. Its experience includes option agreements for estates, estate planning, and the establishment of farming partnerships. Tristan Ward is ‘conscientious’, and valued for his personal experience in agriculture.

The ‘value-for-money’ team at Mills & Reeve LLP is headed by the well-regarded Michael Aubrey. In 2011, the firm assisted with the sale and purchase of 21,000 acres of farms and estates, including the purchase of a 2,000-acre estate in Cheshire. It also undertook complex new work involving irrigation and reservoir schemes.

A recent highlight for the ‘thorough’ team at Speechly Bircham LLP was acting on the purchase of a multimillion-pound estate through a special purchase BVI company. Property guru Amanda O’Keeffe was promoted to the partnership in 2011.

Withers LLP is a ‘respected firm with deep experience and empathy’, and Matthew Woods and Bertie Hoskyns-Abrahall are ‘pragmatic and technically strong’. The practice, which acts for 130 landed estates, is built around Hoskyns-Abrahall’s hands-on experience in rural property issues, and Woods’ tax strength. It is particularly dominant in international and domestic private wealth, and has exceptional cross-departmental strength. Currey & Co has a distinguished reputation for acting for traditional landed estates, including Chatsworth.

May, May & Merrimans’ Sandy Schofield has an ‘exceptional legal mind’, and his five-partner team is praised for its ‘attention to detail’. In 2011, the firm assisted with an impressive array of option agreements and major lease variations. It is also active in cutting-edge renewables work.

Payne Hicks Beach has experience in high-profile land disposals; its track record includes the 4,000-house development Fairford Leys. It also has expertise in mineral rights grants, and the selling of gravel strata. Dispute resolution specialist Andrew Tugwell is ‘a safe pair of hands’.

The team at Taylor Wessing LLP is ‘extremely competent’. In 2011 it advised on the acquisition of a diversified landed estate, involving sporting rights, rights of way, and mineral rights. Practice head Joanna Ward ‘fully understands agricultural and estate issues’; and Andrew Hine exhibits ‘sound attention to detail’.

The six-partner team at Thrings LLP represents a range of clients from traditional landed estates to trading businesses. Senior partner Jonathan Payne is the contact on the agribusiness side, while Robert Sear heads the firm’s London litigation capacity. In 2011, it represented Mary Alford in a successful bid to defeat ramblers and mountaineers in their application to secure a public right of way across Vixen Tor Farm.

Although Trowers & Hamlins LLP saw the departure of Robert Brodrick to Payne Hicks Beach, Jamie Atwell remains, and counts several landed estates among his clients.

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