Our specialist agricultural land farming aw team is based at our South Molton office. They deal with rural legal affairs on Exmoor and the wider farming community in North Devon and surrounding areas. The team is overseen by Brett Lawrence a Partner and specialist property lawyer, and includes Helen Hine, herself a farmer’s daughter. Agricultural law services are also provided from our main office in Barnstaple.
In many legal firms, agricultural law falls between two stalls: the technical complexities of farmland will invariably be dealt with by the property team, while matters such as the creation of partnership agreements and other finance work are likely to be dealt with by the commercial team. Slee Blackwell Solicitors are different. Our Rural, Farming, and Agricultural team will take care of all your affairs. Matters will be dealt with by a dedicated lawyer throughout, so that continuity of service can be guaranteed.
By choosing Slee Blackwell Solicitors you are assured that your legal affairs will be managed by one specialist lawyer who will make it their job to understand your individual needs and establish a close working relationship with you.
Our experience
Being based in the heart of Devon, our South Molton office deals almost exclusively with agricultural, farming, and rural law. Agricultural matters are also dealt with in our Barnstaple office. We deal with a broad spectrum of work, including matters as diverse as hunting rights in the south west outside of the Duchy of Cornwall, the reservation of fishing rights and the transfer of working farms as a going concern.
We work closely with the agricultural teams at the major banks and financial institutions. We have also established close links with other farming and agricultural professionals, including accountants, land agents and farm business advisors. We know that our job fits into a bigger picture, with a requirement to work in tandem with others to give you the best commercial advantage possible.
Our local knowledge, acquired over generations, and familiarity with local planning requirements gives us an edge in North Devon. This can be a huge benefit for clients seeking assistance with matters such as planning agreements under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act. We are also very familiar with the requirements of North Devon District Council, Torridge District Council and Exmoor National Park, amongst others.
Litigation support for agricultural and farming disputes
Our agricultural and farming team works alongside our litigation department.
We deal with farming partnership disputes, landlord and tenant issues involving agricultural property, and contract disputes. Partner, Hayley Bundey, specialises in family farming disputes, including claims for proprietary estoppel (breach of promise), TOLATA, beneficial interest claims, and farming inheritance disputes.
