The Legal 500

Work Department

Agriculture (non-contentious).

Position

Agricultural property specialist; particular expertise in agricultural tenancies, both modern farm business tenancies and Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies. Workload divided between advisory work (tenancies, single payment scheme, etc) and transactional work (farm sales and purchases and associated property matters, such as solar farm projects, telecommunication masts, pipelines etc). Currently involved in a number of significant tenancy matters, including notices to quit, succession applications and succession planning. One tenancy case involved the successful opposition to a notice to quit an agricultural holding, on the basis of a flawed notice to pay, and, on another case, defeated a Case B notice to quit due to a lack of settled intention on the part of the landlord.

Career

Trained Crellins, Weybridge, Surrey; qualified 1996; partner, Meadows & Co, on qualification; associate, commercial property (agriculture) team, Lodders, Stratford upon Avon 1999; joined Country Land and Business Association on secondment during ‘foot and mouth’ crisis, 2001; subsequently joined the CLA’s legal team, rising to senior legal adviser; associate, Thrings 2004, partner 2007. Whilst at CLA, Duncan was heavily involved in the Tenancy Reform Industry Group (TRIG). Various articles in Law Society Gazette, Estates Gazette and farming press regarding TRIG and agricultural tenancies. Contributed several chapters to ‘Guide to Rural Businesses’, and ‘Doing Business in the Countryside’, published by Kogan Page. Regular speaker at Central Law Training conferences, both in agricultural and equine matters.

Member

Agricultural Law Association – currently sits on the ALA’s tenancy committee; on the recommended professionals list of the Tenant Farmers Association.

Education

Shenfield School, Shenfield, Essex; Keele University, (Law and Economics, Joint Honours 2(1)); Guildford Law School (Law Society Finals Course); qualified as a Notary Public.

Leisure

Triathlons; trying to keep up with his two daughters.

Practice Areas

Agriculture and estates