hegarty.co.uk/rural
Rural and Agricultural Property
Whether you require advice relating to Farm Tenancies and Planning or a property within a Site of Special Scientific Interest, we can assist you. Our expert lawyers have a wealth of experience dealing with specific rural property law including:-
- Purchase and sale of land, farms or sites of special scientific interest
- Advice re listed buildings
- Curtilage
- Leases and farm business tenancies
- Rural planning
- Notice to quit
- Wayleave agreements
- Rural tourism – preservation of original features
Contact: Joy Plummer, partner and head of commercial property joy.plummer@hegarty.co.uk
Corporate Law
Our corporate team are familiar with all the issues faced by those operating in the rural sector – whether in relation to your business structure (partnerships, LLPs or companies) or your business operation, they are happy to offer their expert support.
Typical issues may include:-
- Partnership structures and agreements
- Reconstructions, demergers, mergers and acquisitions
- Exit strategies
- Commercial contract review and preparation
- Distribution and collaboration agreements
Contact: Ashley Sutherland, partner ashley.sutherland@hegarty.co.uk
Employment Law
Employment advice relating to topics that particularly affect agricultural employers include:-
- The employment of seasonal workers
- Restrictive covenants
- Immigrant workers
- Zero hours contracts
- Health and safety
- Minimum wage
Contact: Katie Bowen Nicholas, solicitor katie.bowennicholas@hegarty.co.uk
Family
Farming and rural families experiencing relationship breakdowns often require specialist legal advisors who understand the implications for your farming business or family ‘birth-right’. Our family lawyers can provide advice to deal with a separation as well as proactive planning support including formal agreements such as pre-nuptial, cohabitation and borrowing agreements; often the emphasis is on the division of the farming assets.
Contact: Chris Brown, senior associate and head of family law chris.brown@hegarty.co.uk.
Disputes
Our specialist litigators can help you with agricultural business disputes and with land or property disputes. We understand the unique circumstances inherent in rural matters.
Our litigation team can also assist with succession disputes, although it is usually best to try to avoid such disputes by ensuring correct succession planning is undertaken with our Trust & Probate team.
Contact: Andrew Hornsby, Partner andrew.hornsby@hegarty.co.uk.
Trust & Probate
Our specialists can help you plan to protect your property for future generations with inheritance tax mitigation in mind. They can also ensure you have the appropriate documentation in place to ensure your rural enterprise does not flounder in the small but, sadly, very real possibility that you may be rendered ‘incapable’ of making decisions*. Services include:-
- Tax planning
- Powers of attorney
- Wills
- Trusts
- Liaison with our corporate department with regard to structure of farming businesses through partnership or company structures
- Agricultural property relief advice
- Business property relief advice
*’Incapacity’ can result from physical or mental trauma or illness that results in loss of memory or brain function. If you run a business you should ensure suitable people are appointed to make decisions on your behalf.
Contact: Greg Baker, partner and head of Wills, Trusts & Probate department greg.baker@hegarty.co.uk or Martin Banwell, solicitor martin.banwell@hegarty.co.uk.
If you have an agricultural or rural matter that you would like support with please contact us.
