Skip to content
Freeths - Law firm

Farms & Estates

Leaders in our field

What is involved?

The focus of agricultural enterprises has changed over the years, particularly with diversification opportunities. It is more important than ever to ensure that you have the right advice. From the development of agricultural property and implementation of business structures, to environmental agreements and succession planning, Freeths have over 50 years of experience.

We offer a full spectrum of services tailored to our agricultural and rural clients. You can rely on us to help you with dispute resolution, health and safety (including enforcement action by the HSE), regulatory compliance, estate management, land transactions, landlord and tenant issues, planning, construction and development.

Our capable team can also advise you on financial matters such as the preservation of your rights under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and tax planning (including inheritance, APR, BPR, capital gains, VAT and stamp duty land tax), as well as wills and trusts.

Key contacts

Iain Davis
Partner

0186 578 1144

Why choose our agricultural lawyers?

  • Our specialists regularly advise clients with interests in rural, agricultural and equine matters
  • Expect clear, practical advice from a friendly team of lawyers with a wide experience of rural issues
  • We act for some of the largest estates the UK – and many of us have farming or agricultural roots
  • Ranked in the top tier of both The Legal 500 and Chambers as nationally recognised as experts

Freeths are nationally recognised for advising agricultural and landed estate clients. We know just how challenging the landscape can be for you. Our team draws on the specialist talent and experience of lawyers from different legal disciplines to provide a complete legal service at highly competitive rates.

In particular, we have earned a reputation for understanding the complexities of estate management and agricultural property. You can trust us to come prepared with know-how unique to your industry. Whether you need assistance on how to deal with trespassers, or a family lawyer to protect farm assets before marriage, we use a wealth of combined experience to help find the best solution for your business.

Call us now to find out how we can help you.

Chambers & Partners 2024 logo

Meet the team

Farms & Estates Lawyers


Clare Bellis

Clare Bellis
Partner

0186 578 1058

Iain Davis
Partner

0186 578 1144

Balvinder Jaj

Balvinder Jaj
Partner

0186 578 1063

Image of Louise Lewis

Louise Lewis
Partner

0186 578 1105

Jane Maitland

Jane Maitland
Partner

0345 128 6963

Image of Tom Walker

Tom Walker
Partner

0345 166 6337

Laura Czapski

Laura Czapski
Director

0186 578 1168

Ben Derrington

Ben Derrington
Director

0345 030 5855

Tom Gauterin profile photo

Tom Gauterin
Director

0345 030 5861

Lisa Mark-Bell
Director

0186 578 1154

Nigel Roots
Consultant

0345 128 6962

Masood Ahmed
Managing Associate

0186 578 1205

Katherine Burge

Katherine Burge
Managing Associate

0186 578 1081

Andrew Dashwood-Begg

Andrew Dashwood-Begg
Managing Associate

0186 578 1021

Daniel McNally - Compliance and Regulatory Lawyer

Daniel McNally
Managing Associate

0345 030 5728

Gemma Nicholls-Webber

Gemma Nicholls-Webber
Managing Associate

0345 404 1714

Rosalyn Shephard

Rosalyn Shephard
Managing Associate

01865 781 023

Saira Ali
Senior Associate

0345 030 5860

Richard Biddle
Senior Associate

0186 578 1008

Eleanor Arscott
Associate

01865 781 095

Noah Bachoco
Associate

0186 578 1293

Farms & Estates

Finbar Downing
Associate

0345 030 5428

Farms & Estates

Claire Lathwell
Associate

0345 340 4251

Related news
More related news, articles and events for Farms & Estates
Testimonials

‘Freeths is particularly good in relation to family planning and land promotion for development. I have found Freeths have a very good knowledge and are very thorough in each department I have worked with.’

(The Legal 500, 2024)

‘The team made themselves readily available and responded quickly to any queries. The communication between individuals of the team appeared excellent.’

(The Legal 500, 2024)

‘The team was most attentive with suggestions made and highly skilled at all levels from trainees to partner.’

(The Legal 500, 2024)

‘When collaboration was needed from other members within the organisation, the work was carried out seamlessly and efficiently.’

(The Legal 500, 2024)

“I felt able to contact Freeths at any time with any queries I might have, and was never made to feel a nuisance. My queries were always handled politely, promptly and fully.”

(Chambers & Partners, 2024)

“The team is very thorough and acts in a professional capacity.”

(Chambers & Partners, 2024)

“The Freeths team is always available for a call or email exchange and understands a sense of urgency when it is needed.”

(Chambers & Partners, 2024)

"They were very good and clear at communicating with us. Always kind, courteous and understanding. Their use of technology is superb, never had a problem at all."

(The Legal 500, 2023)

“They have a good mix of litigation, land sales, and different levels of expertise.” “They have a good depth of experience and knowledge within the team to call upon as and when required.”

(Chambers & Partners, 2023)

"Freeths has a strong team with great strength in depth. The communication from a client perspective is as good as I have ever known."

(The Legal 500, 2023)

Notable Work
  • Assisted with a complex residential purchase involving barns on a farm being converted into bespoke properties. Investigated title and undertook research to ensure historic rights of the land would not encumber our client.
  • Acting for farms, landowners and companies in a wide range of property transactions including dealing with freehold and leasehold interests, agricultural land and property, Basic Payment Scheme and the Agri-environmental schemes.
  • Acquisition of a farm including 200+ acres, listed farmhouse and buildings, riparian and railway frontages and entitlements. The case involved dealing with various title and agricultural issues and was settled at a value of over £3 million.
  • Sale of a farming estate to 13 separate buyers. The individual lots varied from bare agricultural land, in hand farming operations, estate cottages. Balvinder dealt with various issues including first registration of a number of lots, defects in title and planning issues.
  • Acting for a farmer on an AHA tenancy challenging a notice to quit (settled favourably at arbitration) where the client’s land was the centre of a proposed new housing development.
  • Trust reorganisation for a farming family working with accountant and corporate colleagues to restructure family company. This was to enable succession to family business and protection of interests in land for family members not involved in the business.
  • The acquisition of the Kiddington Estate for a sum in excess of £23 million. Including 1,500 acres of agricultural land, some 35 estate houses and cottages (including the majority of the village of Kiddington), commercial business premises totalling over 6,000 square feet, as well as an in hand farming enterprise, tenanted farm and woodland.
  • Administering high net worth estates, including those with agricultural and business property, and advising in relation to tax mitigation measures and reliefs available.
  • Acting for the funder of anaerobic digester plants involving lending of over £10 million to farm businesses. Freeths dealt with the drafting of transaction documents, reporting on title to agricultural farmland and advising on planning conditions.
  • A £12.6 million refinance of farm, dairy unit and farm cottages to include redemption of existing charges over 1,850 acres and four new charges over 650 acres.

Client service

‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.

Our values

arrow

Talk to us

Freeths are a leading national law firm with 13 offices across the UK. If you have a query about our services or just want to find out more, why not give us a call?

Contact: 03301 001 014

Choose an office:

Portfolio close
People CV Email

Remove All


Click here to email this list of people to a colleague.