Landed estates have diverse and increasingly complex legal needs. You might be thinking about tax and structures for succession or maybe your focus is on diversification of your estate. Perhaps you’re concerned about meeting the compliance burden to manage property profitably, or you’re navigating the planning system and environmental regulation.

At Irwin Mitchell we bring traditional views with a fresh perspective and commercial awareness to help you now and in the future.

Estates are facing great change. Agriculture is adapting to climate change and a shift from the Basic Payment Scheme to the Environmental Land Management Scheme. Changes in working habits, through COVID, have increased the pressure for public access. We are experienced in helping the owners and managers of landed estates address those needs and changes, but also to plan and realise opportunities for themselves and future generations.

Our specialist lawyers work with the owners of estates, large and small, family-owned and institutional, to plan for the future, manage their property portfolios, grow their businesses, and protect their brand. We well understand that the lines between family and business issues are often blurred: that means you’ll get offer a personal service from us, aiming to build lasting relationships, and commercial solutions.

We pride ourselves on a breadth and depth of legal knowledge as to the issues facing estates. You can rely on us to give you strategic advice in areas such as:

  • Tax and succession planning
  • Trust and business structures
  • Heritage property, art and chattels
  • Management residential, commercial and agricultural property portfolios
  • Property finance and restructuring
  • Dispute resolution from trusts to neighbours
  • Development, including landowner consortia
  • Planning and environmental compliance and opportunities
  • Public access and public rights of way
  • Renewables
  • Mines and mineral rights
  • Sporting rights
  • Family
  • Employment
  • Intellectual property and reputation management.

We work with:

  • Land-owning and farming families
  • Owners and managers of historic houses
  • Trustees
  • Charities
  • Institutional landowners.

Our Rural Expertise

A number of our team are Country Land Business Association (CLA) members and committee members. We also have advisers who are qualified with The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), which is a global professional body for experts in inheritance and succession planning. We are sponsors of the Royal Agricultural University.

Our national network of offices means we can support you no matter where you are. Our team offer not only legal expertise but also a friendly service and commercial and practical advice.

The leading independent guides to the legal profession, the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, recognise our expertise in rural issues. The guides rank our teams in the South East and Yorkshire are particularly highly.

Head of our Rural Business & Estates team James Pavey “is an excellent client-focused solicitor with a superb attention to detail. Very hard-working and an excellent way with words." - Legal 500 2022 (Leading Individual)

Contact Us

Please contact our expert team today to find out how we can help you with your agricultural legal needs. Call on 0808 271 2602 or use our online contact form and we will call you back.

How Can Irwin Mitchell Help?

James Pavey

[James Pavey] is an excellent client-focused solicitor with a superb attention to detail. Very hard-working and an excellent way with words."

Legal 500, 2022
In Focus

The Future Of Estates

In our latest insight, our team of experts share their insight on the future of landed estates. Our expert panel including, James Pavey, Naomi Neville, James Laycock and more analyse both the challenges and all opportunities facing landowners.

Find out more

Find one of our solicitors near you

We have offices in major cities throughout the UK and our lawyers can arrange to visit you or your business in person if necessary. We also have international capability, with global links to other legal specialists.

Business News

Our lawyers are regularly asked to provide expert insight, advice and analysis for the national media. Take a look at the stories below to see what we’re saying, as well as some of the recent deals we have completed for our clients here in the UK and abroad.