The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > North > Agriculture and estates

The ‘friendly, approachable and understanding' Cartmell Shepherd specialises in agriculture and property. The firm provides a practical agricultural background and a particular expertise in tenancy matters. Director Jonathan Carroll leads the team, and has notable experience in contentious and non-contentious matters, including tenancies under the Agricultural Holdings Act. The team includes director Mark Jackson, who specialises in the sale and acquisition of farms, estates and forestry, and solicitor Katherine Pretswell-Walker, who deals with a range of agricultural law and tenancy matters.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP specialises in advising private estate owners and other landowning organisations. The ‘breadth of practice areas covered marks it out’ as well as its advice to a number of public authorities and quasi-public bodies. Simon Kirkup leads the practice and his clients include private landowners as well as major landowning charities and PLCs. Also notable in the team is managing associate Charlotte Patterson-Ryan, who ‘combines strong technical knowledge in the areas of landlords and tenants, with excellent professional skills,’ which makes her ‘stand out as a go-to adviser’.

Burnetts has a broad range of specialisms in the sector, including banking work, sale and purchase of farms, agricultural tenancies, strategic planning and dispute resolution. The practice provides ‘specific farming knowledge and farming backgrounds’. Richard Miller is head of the property team, and leading the agri-business team is Joanne McKenzie, who is a specialist in agricultural tenancy matters and the implications of the Agricultural Holdings Act.

A member firm of the Country Landowners Association, Hay & Kilner is known for acting in the surrender of AHA tenancies and the grant of new farm business tenancies, as well as drafting contract farming agreements for modern farming practices. The practice is also experienced in the sale and purchase of land and advising in respect of mineral rights. Alison Hall, head of the rural team, has particular expertise in agricultural matters and landed estates. Martin Soloman specialises in commercial disputes, notably in representing landowning and farming clients in property and land disputes. Richard Freeman-Wallace focuses on commercial property and regularly acts for landowners and developers.

Traditionally farming focused, Latimer Hinks Solicitors has experience in areas ranging from advice to landed estate owners and succession planning, to leasing of mineral rights and sales and purchases of farms and agricultural land. Agricultural law specialist Anne Elliott leads the team that includes Elizabeth Armstrong, who focuses on the private client side, notably estate planning, and the administration of estates and trusts where agricultural land is involved with complex claims.

The agriculture and estates team at Sintons LLP works with a range of clients in the sector. Work includes acting on the acquisition and disposal of large farming ventures, agricultural holdings and the registration of portfolios of mines and minerals, as well as advising offshore trusts holding UK farms. Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association, Tom Wills leads the practice that includes Paul Liddle, who has particular experience acting for developers and landowners in the energy, waste and renewables sectors.

BHP Law specialises in acting for farming and landowning clients in high-value matters. Practice head Peter Blackett has particular experience in the commercial area, advising rural and farming clients on a range of matters, including commercial property transactions for major land owners and property developers across the region.

The ‘fast and always competent’ Iain Nicholson & Co specialises in private client work and agriculture for clients in the North East and other parts of the UK. Iain Nicholson leads the experienced team that includes 'extremely quick' Victoria Stevenson, who has significant private client and agricultural property experience, and 'reliable' Peter Dakin, who has particular expertise in property transactions.

Jacksons Law acts for farmers, growers and distributors, dealing with a range of commercial and personal matters. Adrienne Patterson specialises in agricultural law and employment matters, including agricultural tenancies, farming subsidies and the Agricultural Wages Order. Also notable in the team is Simon Catterall, who provides advice to the northern farming community and is well-regarded in National Farmers Union. Nicola Neilson recently joined the firm as head of agricultural property.

Tilly Bailey & Irvine specialises in the administration of estates, as well as advising on in-hand farming and forestry, agricultural tenancies and mineral extraction. Practice head Helen Dexter is experienced in the administration of estates, trusts and succession planning for farming clients. Her team includes associate Andrew Beattie, who is an agricultural property specialist, and solicitor Jessica Morton, who arrived from Sintons LLP in 2018, and has expertise in succession and inheritance tax planning, as well as complex estate administration, for farmers and landowners.