Agricultural Solicitors

Our specialist team of agricultural solicitors have been serving the farming industry for decades through unmatched legal expertise and representative services.

Running an agricultural business in today’s economy can be hugely challenging. In addition to facing the standard difficulties that come with running a business, the specific needs and complex wealth structures of those who work in the agricultural sector often require specialised legal services from solicitors who understand their industry and how it impacts their daily lives.

Buckles Solicitors have been serving the UK’s agricultural industry for decades, providing specialist legal advice to farmers, rural landowners, retail food producers and other farming-related businesses and organisations. Our agriculture team advise on all areas of agricultural law, from commercial and employment matters to dealing with personal affairs such as farming, planning law, divorce and farm succession planning.

Services our agriculture solicitors provide

Commercial contracts

Our agricultural solicitors can serve as an invaluable resource to your business when it comes to negotiating and drafting commercial contracts related to farming, such as:

  • Partnership agreements
  • Farm business tenancies
  • Land sale and purchase transactions
  • Share farming
  • Contract farming
  • Terms of business for new projects
  • Storage facility lease grants
  • Supply agreements

Our experienced team of solicitors can advise farmers and those with agricultural businesses on the legal implications of any proposed agreement and help ensure that the interests of both parties are adequately protected. We can advise landowners on the implications of the Environment Act 2021 if they wish to take advantage of of land being required for biodiversity purposes offsite for developments elsewhere. We can also provide guidance on how to structure contracts in a way that best meets the needs of all parties involved and negotiate on your behalf to secure the best outcome for your farming business.

Agricultural conveyancing

Agricultural conveyancing is a specialised area of law that involves the transfer of land, property, and other assets related to agriculture. It requires an understanding of laws governing the sale and transfer of agricultural goods and services as well as knowledge of legal contracts and agreements related to these transactions.

Our agricultural solicitors can help with the agricultural conveyancing process by:

  • Providing guidance on the process for transferring agricultural land or property from one party to another. This includes researching title , drawing up contracts for sale or lease, , conducting background checks on parties involved, engaging experts when needed (such as surveyors or valuers), ensuring compliance with applicable regulations associated with the transaction.
  • Resolving disputes that arise during agricultural conveyancing transactions. Our solicitors are widely knowledgeable in dispute resolution strategies relating to contract law, such as mediation, negotiation and arbitration. This can help resolve your issues quickly without having to resort to costly court proceedings.
  • Advising on Stamp Duty Land Tax. Our agriculture solicitors can explain how this tax applies to different types of transactions so that all parties involved know their financial responsibilities before entering into an agreement.
Buying a farm & rural property purchase

Purchasing a farm or rural estate can be a complex and often daunting task, but with the help of our agriculture solicitors it can be made much easier. Our specialised team are experts in all matters related to land and property purchases, so can provide invaluable advice and guidance throughout the process that could save you time and money in the long run.

From the outset, our agriculture solicitors will ensure that appropriate due diligence is taken to assess the suitability of any farm purchase and ensure you are aware of any potential risks before the contract is signed. We will also carry out detailed searches on title documents and advise on special conditions that may need to be included in the sale agreement, such as payment terms, warranties and representations, landlord’s liabilities and obligations, planning law issues, tenancy agreements and much more.

Our solicitors will take the time to review your farm’s contract of sale and transfer deeds prior to completion, whilst making sure you fully understand all the relevant legal requirements before proceeding with a purchase. We will also finalise all documentation relating to the purchase, liaise with banks or financial institutions involved in funding the purchase, prepare Stamp Duty Land Tax returns where required by law and assist with registering title at the Land Registry.

Farming divorce & family law

Our agriculture solicitors offer specialised family law services for those working in the farming and agricultural sectors, including legal advice and representation on:

  • Divorce & separation
  • Prenuptial & Postnuptial agreements
  • Family mediation
  • Division of finances and assets post-divorce
  • Child maintenance payments
  • Child arrangement orders (child custody)
  • Cohabitation agreements

Divorcing a farmer can be a complex and lengthy process due to the unique legal considerations that accompany agricultural divorces. With assets likely to include land, livestock, and machinery in addition to traditional property and investments, the overall financial settlement can be difficult to negotiate and divide without significantly impacting the farming business. Furthermore, with many farmers leading busy lives with long working hours, arranging time for all parties involved can be challenging.

Our agriculture solicitors are committed to protecting farming businesses from the financial fallouts of divorce whilst ensuring that family law issues (such as child care arrangements and maintenance payments) are resolved with as little confrontation as possible through mediation. We understand that all farming businesses are unique and therefore require an expert eye when it comes to dividing their assets and negotiating the financial aspects of farming divorce thanks to our decades of experience serving the agricultural industry.

Our solicitors can advise farmers or their spouses on all aspects of farming divorces, including (but not limited to) farm tenancy agreements and business responsibilities going forward, selling off parts of the holding, taking out loans or mortgages to pay each party what they are entitled to, dividing joint bank accounts and any other businesses and investments shared to finalising details related to maintenance payments or child support.

If you are a farmer who is about to get married but are concerned about protecting your business, our agriculture team can also assist with the drafting of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements to protect your business assets, property, pensions and savings from divorce. For unmarried couples, we can also draft cohabitation agreements that will outline the financial responsibilities of each party and what will happen to shared assets and debts in the event of a separation.

For more information about our specialised farming divorce and family law services, call your nearest Buckles office today to arrange a confidential, no-obligation consultation with one of our lawyers.

Farm sales

If you are considering selling your farm, then our agriculture team can provide invaluable services for maximising the value of your property. We have unmatched experience in dealing with land sales and negotiating competitive terms for both farm sellers and can also advise on taxation, mortgage lending, agricultural conveyancing and any other legal obstacles that could arise during your farm sale process.

Our agriculture solicitors offer impartial and unbiased legal advice on getting the most out of your farm sale whilst ensuring zoning and local regulatory compliance is maintained to eliminate costly risks. Once you have decided to sell your farm, we will review all legal documents to guarantee that they are accurate, up-to-date and without discrepancies. We will also ensure that necessary paperwork is completed correctly; thus, minimising unnecessary delays and stress to your farm sale.

Farm succession planning

Farm succession planning is an important step towards ensuring that a successful agricultural business is maintained from one generation to the next and that successors can seamlessly assume their role with as minimal disruption as possible. However, farm succession planning requires careful consideration of several legal, financial, tax, and emotional factors, which is why it is vital that you engage an experienced legal professional familiar with the agricultural industry and its practices.

Our agriculture solicitors have been helping farming families secure the future of their business and loved ones for decades. We work closely with our clients to create succession plans that help their farming businesses both thrive and survive through clear and robust transition agreements to financial planning that can reduce your tax liabilities and the likelihood of later contentious claims/family disputes.

Our team work collaboratively with your trusted advisors (such as accountants, financial advisors and valuers) to review and your current business structures and make tax efficient and commercially focused recommendations that help shape the future vision of the business (such as the work we have completed with clients looking to diversify their farming business). Our solicitors can also advise on tax efficient Wills and trusts that establish the equitable division of assets between beneficiaries who may or may not work on the family farm, powers of attorneys (to plan for potential periods of illness) and inheritance tax planning.

On the event of a passing, our specialist team can assist with the administration of an estate to include completing complex claims to HMRC for Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.

We recognise that one of the many challenges facing farm succession planning is balancing the wishes of the both the older and younger generations, so will help you and your family navigate these difficult conversations to reach meaningful and amicable solutions.

Agricultural disputes

Agricultural disputes are a niche area of law that require specialised legal guidance when addressing them. Our solicitors can provide expert advice on the relevant law and procedure to pursue in order to resolve any agricultural disputes you are facing, as well as representation to protect your rights and interests and guidance on remedies available if you owe or are due financial compensation.

Some of the agricultural disputes that our solicitors have previously dealt with include (but are not limited to):

  • Boundary disputes between neighbouring properties
  • Trespass and nuisance claims
  • Water rights disputes
  • Damage caused by or to livestock
  • Commercial contract breaches (including on the sale or rent of agricultural land or livestock)
  • Farming inheritance disputes
  • Farm succession planning disputes

As your legal representatives, we typically recommend starting the dispute resolution process with the least confrontational approach as possible, as this will ultimately save you time, stress and hefty legal costs. However, if your dispute cannot be resolved through mediative methods or for another reason, then our solicitors will investigate all aspects of the dispute and prepare evidence that will support you during a trial.

The agricultural team at Buckles Solicitors are well practiced in working with government agencies responsible for maintaining high standard farming practices, so can serve as an invaluable asset if you are facing accusations of breaching governmental legislation in any way.

Farming inheritance disputes

Our agricultural solicitors work closely with Buckles’ in-house contentious probate team and specialist barrister’s chambers to help farming families and other involved individuals resolve farming inheritance disputes.

Our lawyers have extensive experience in identifying disputed issues and advising on the best strategies for resolving them. Our contentious probate services cover all areas of farming inheritance disputes, from contesting a Will and arrangements surrounding estate distribution to proprietary estoppel. We can advise on the various options available to you and help negotiate a favourable outcome for you or others who are being treated unfairly.

We understand that farming inheritance disputes can be emotionally charged and complex legal matters, therefore our team will work hard to support you throughout the process whilst anticipating potential obstacles during negotiations with other parties. Our legal guidance ensures that our clients receive fair outcomes whilst also protecting their best interests.

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Farm mergers & acquisitions
Farm mergers and acquisitions can be complicated processes, so it is vital that you have specialised solicitors to ensure that all parties involved are fully aware of the implications and obligations associated with the merger or acquisition. Our agriculture solicitors can help ensure that all legal requirements are met and that both parties agree on how the transaction should be executed. The Buckles team can provide advice on what needs to be done for the successful completion of the merger or acquisition, including researching local laws and regulations, drafting agreements between both parties, handling any tax matters or other financial considerations, and organising any necessary paperwork. Our experienced lawyers will also identify any potential risks associated with the farm merger/acquisition before it is finalised by researching market conditions and current trends to anticipate future issues that could arise or affect profitability. Ultimately, having our experienced solicitors on your side can make all the difference between success and failure of merging or acquiring farming lands.
Employment law
Our agriculture solicitors provide valuable services for farmers, rural landowners, retail food producers and other agricultural businesses dealing with employment issues. Acting as an extension of your team, our solicitors can advise on all aspects of your farm or agricultural business employment practices – from reviewing and drafting employment contracts for employees and contractors to hiring seasonal workers and securing employment visas – so that you remain up to date with the latest legislative changes. Our agriculture solicitors can also advise on HR matters; including but not limited to grievances, disciplinaries, performance management, redundancies and discrimination and equality issues. If your agricultural business hires seasonal or overseas workers, then we can guide you through the business immigration process to ensure that you remain legally complaint with the UK’s strict immigration rules.
Planning law
Our agricultural solicitors can provide expert advice on all areas of planning law for the farming business including advising on permitted development rights, planning enforcement issues, change of use applications and Certificates of Lawful Established Uses or Proposed Use. Further with the UK laws for protecting Green Belt, it can be difficult to secure permission for development of the land as needs change from generation to generation, our team are well qualified to advise on the planning policies, process for site allocation in the Local Plan, planning appeals right through to negotiating with developers the terms for options and development agreements. With current trends exploring use of land for renewable energy, solar panels farms, offshore windfarms, our team can advise on the relevant policies, established principles and process.

Ask about our agricultural business health-checks

Our agriculture solicitors offer business health-check consultations tailored to the farming and agriculture sector that help keep your business practices legally compliant and highlight areas that may need more protection and support. These consultations are held with one of our agriculture solicitors and can take place either face-to-face (we are happy to come and visit you on your farm or business premises!) or via video call. Upon completion, we will receive a follow-up email highlighting the areas you may need assistance with, including a price estimate on what we charge for helping you resolve them.

Why choose our agriculture solicitors?

Accredited solicitors

Many of our solicitors are endorsed by Chambers, the Legal 500 and the Law Society for their extensive knowledge of the law and high standards of client care.

High quality legal advice without the jargon

We deliver legal advice in concise and simple language that you can understand, making it easy for you to understand the process and make fully informed decisions for your case.

Strong national presence

With offices across England, we are well positioned to help you no matter where you are located.

Tailored service packages suitable for your needs and budget

We understand that not every farming business is the same and that therefore, cookie-cutter legal pricing may not be suitable for everyone. Our consultations assess the requirements of your farming business to deliver bespoke solutions with transparent pricing, meaning that you never overpay for our legal representation.

About Buckles Solicitors

Buckles Solicitors are a full-service law firm providing a comprehensive range of legal services to businesses and individuals both in the UK and internationally.

From our offices in Stamford, London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Cambridge, Paris and Milan, we deliver effective and practical legal solutions for clients across 15 service areas, including niche specialisms such as:

  • Agricultural Law
  • French Law
  • Italian Law
  • Spanish Law
  • German Law
  • Restructuring, Turnaround, and Insolvency
  • Business Immigration
  • Contentious Probate

We are committed to providing clients with clear and concise legal advice combined with the absolute best client experience, with many of our clients having come to us from recommendations and referrals from existing contacts. To arrange a private consultation with one of our solicitors, get in touch with your nearest office or request a call back by filling in the contact form below.

Meet the team