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Burges Salmon LLP’s team acts for a number of high-profile clients including HSBC, The Crown Estate, the National Trust and many other landed estates. William Neville, and Charles Wyld lead the team, with Vivienne Williams handling contentious agricultural matters. Peter Williams departed to Wilsons.

Clarke Willmott LLP is ‘head and shoulders’ above the competition, and acts for an impressive array of clients including The Crown Estate, for which it handled some 140 matters in 2010. Other key clients include the NFU and The National Trust. Guy Hurst is appreciated for his ‘efficiency, client care and commitment’, and team head Tim Russ, Tim Hayden and Tom Hyde are also recommended.

Charles Russell LLP’s ‘strong’ team represents around 50 estates including numerous aristocratic clients. Practice head Christopher Page is ‘superb’. Christian Massey was made partner in 2010.

Thrings LLP provides ‘clear and comprehensive’ advice. It assisted the NFU on the rewriting and updating of the occupational licence with the Ministry of Defence pertaining to land on Salisbury Plain. The team also acts for a large number of high-profile landed estates. Team head Peter Cusick ‘leads from the front’.

Wilsons gives ‘good and appropriate advice in a timely manner’ and acted on the sales of several large estates during 2010, notably The Old Fonthill Estate, and the Hulton Park Estate in Lancashire. Team head Robert Swift and Alison Bailey are recommended. Belinda Watson made partner in 2010, and Peter Williams joined from Burges Salmon LLP.

Ashfords LLP’s ‘very effective’ team is headed by Tim Howells, and ‘gives sensible and innovative advice’. Key areas for the firm include the renewable energy sector and photovoltaic installations, as well as traditional estate matters.

Foot Anstey’s ‘excellent, very responsive’ team has a growing niche in photovoltaic power developments, and also recently acted on a number of high-value farm sales. Richard Bagwell is recommended for landlord and tenant matters, and Simon Gregory is a ‘good all-rounder’.

Osborne Clarke witnessed a shift from acting for traditional estate owners to representing corporate vehicles becoming involved in agricultural land. Clients include NatWest and the NFU. This ‘excellent’ team acted for Rotch Property Group on the sale of the Duxhurst Estate in Sussex. Kathryn Almond heads the department, in which Robert Drewett is ‘persistent and effective’.

Rickerbys LLP demonstrates a ‘good deal of experience and knowledge’. It acted for a number of clients on multimillion-pound estate matters, and also on a grant of minerals lease for an estate. Practice head Robin Beckley is recommended.

Stephens Scown LLP’s team is ‘very user-friendly and proactive’. In addition to traditional estates work, it has acted on many photovoltaic developments in the South West, and advises large estates on mining and mineral rights. Richard Baker is ‘personable, approachable and helpful’, and team head Phil Reed is also recommended.

James Owen at Battens Solicitors Limited is recommended.

At Dyne Drewett, Jonathan Cheal is an acknowledged rights of way expert, and Richard Pinney is also noted.

Loxley Legal Services LLP’s Andrew Baskerville is recommended.

Philip Wolfgang at Michelmores LLP is ‘highly capable, exceptionally efficient and knowledgeable’.

Marcus Thorpe at Trethowans LLP is ‘extremely competent professionally but also charming and engaging personally’.

Withy King LLP’s Angus Williams is recommended.

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