Agricultural Disputes

The agriculture team at Clarke Willmott LLP is described by Chambers and Partners Guide to the UK Legal Profession as having "commendable strength in litigation". Unusually amongst legal firms specialising in agriculture, the lawyers handling contentious cases are dedicated litigation specialists, who have the skills and experience, from many years of practice, to provide clients with a first class service. 

The agricultural disputes team is led by Tim Russ, assisted by a dedicated team of solicitors.

Our services include:

• Leases, licences and tenancies (agricultural holdings, farm business tenancies, commercial leases and residential lettings)
• Single farm payments, quotas, stewardship scheme payments and other government subsidies
• Farming partnerships, limited liability partnerships, companies, contracting arrangements, share farming agreements and other joint ventures
• Freehold land: rights of way, restrictive covenants, boundary disputes, trespassers, squatters, sporting rights, grazing right and common rights
• Judicial Review proceedings brought against government departments, agencies and bodies to challenge their decisions
• Professional negligence against solicitors, land agents, accountants and agricultural consultants
• Defective agricultural machinery and equipment, including tractors, combines and milking parlours
• Contracts to buy and sell grain and other agricultural produce 

Resolving disputes can involve the use of many different techniques and methods of resolution, including litigation, arbitration or mediation. Depending on the nature of the dispute, proceedings may be brought before one of a number of different courts, tribunals or arbitrators. Each institution has its own rules and procedures, with which the team are familiar.

At Clarke Willmott LLP, our agricultural disputes team includes arbitrators, mediators and higher court advocates with extensive experience of all these methods of dispute resolution. With these skills they are often able to represent clients in person throughout all hearings.

For more information please visit the health and safety, animal welfare and food standards sections of the site.  To see examples of recent projects, please visit How We've Helped Our Clients.

Contact: Tim Russ