Mills & Reeve LLP‘s agribusiness practice regularly acts for traditional farming clients, as well as several Cambridge and Oxford colleges, pension funds, landed estates, and a number of substantial national farming businesses. The firm’s offices in Cambridge and Norwich provide strong on-the-ground support for work in East Anglia and practitioners are well versed in matters across the country. Michael Aubrey in Cambridge and Catherine Scott in Norwich are joint leaders of the practice; Aubrey excels in advising institutional and corporate landowners, and farming families and businesses on structuring transactions, infrastructure and development projects, as well as large-scale renewable energy projects; while Scott has a strong reputation locally in representing farms and estates across the country. The ’thorough and diligent’ Nicola Dernie and transactional expert Dawn Chapman are among the other key figures in a sizeable team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Quality and prudent advice, timescales and client expectations well managed.’
‘Nicola Dernie was thorough, diligent, and proportionate with her approach. She cut through the nonsense to ensure a timely and satisfactory outcome in tricky circumstances.’
‘The team's knowledge and proactive thought process is second to none.’
‘Michael Aubrey and Nichola Ross have provided our businesses and family premier division advice and service over many years. Allowing us to expand and secure ourselves for the future. They also have an excellent support team.’
‘Superb strength and depth, with a particular focus on detail.’
Key clients
- Christ Church, Oxford
- Glemham Hall Estate
- Albanwise Limited
Work highlights
Advised Christ Church, Oxford on purchase of a strategic site comprising 442 acres of land at Bainton, Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Advised the Glenham Hall Estate on the sale of a country house estate.
Advised Albanwise Limited and various group companies on its 35,000 acre agricultural portfolio.
Lawyers
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Leading associates
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Dawn Chapman
Practice head
Michael Aubrey; Catherine Scott
Other key lawyers
Nicola Dernie; Nichola Ross; Dawn Chapman; Harriet Brittain-Lewis; Emily Horn; Amanda Tagg