Rural land and business

Forsters is the country’s foremost Rural Land and Business practice. Our modern, commercial and efficient approach sets us apart from other leading firms in this sphere.

Like other top firms, our client base includes traditional landowning families and institutions across the country, and our partners are trustees of some of the country's largest and oldest estates. Unlike others, we are recognized for our commerciality and our focus on problem solving, pre-empting issues and being proactive not reactive.

We have particular expertise in the following areas:

Forsters’ Partners are well known as top-ranking individuals in this sector, renowned for their technical excellence, depth of experience and ability to bring that to bear on the issues our clients face in a focused, commercial way. Our expertise encompasses every aspect of Rural Land and Business, from land sale and purchase to agricultural tenancies, from preserving and protecting mineral rights to tidal river schemes, and from easements between neighbours to multi-million-pound development projects.

Alongside traditional landowners, we advise private and commercial investors, and we keep abreast of every development in our field. Our business is based on the relationships we build with our clients and with other specialists like agents, brokers and surveyors. With new clients our deep knowledge of the area is complemented by the time we invest in getting to know them and their particular needs and concerns. Our clients depend on us and we value the respect we build with them, over generations. Because we take the long view, we know how important it is to develop trust and confidence in the advice and service we give.

Taking a collaborative approach with our clients and with Forsters’ teams across Private Client and Real Estate means we can understand our clients' needs and provide specialist advice tailored to every sphere and every situation. Our clients are ahead of the curve, and so are we.

Forsters' expertise is reflected in our ranking in Tier 1 for Agriculture and Estates by the Legal 500 and in Band 1 for Agriculture & Rural Affairs by Chambers and Partners.

Forsters' Agriculture & Estates team is top ranked in the Legal 500 2022


Vineyards & Wineries

Forsters are delighted to be launching our Vineyards & Wineries practice. The cross-departmental team draws upon our strengths from across the firm, a combination of expertise that is rare if not unique in the market. The increasing number of vineyards we look after complements our exceptional book of landed estates, and is testament to our ability to look after landowning clients, whatever their business and whatever challenges they face.

An image of a vineyard


The Life Cycle of Family Wealth

From growing a business to starting a family or handing over control of that business to the next generation, every individual has their own goals to aspire to. Our Private Wealth lawyers advise our clients throughout this family life cycle, providing the legal advice required for specific transactions such as purchasing a home or selling a business, whilst also advising on the long-term opportunities for succession and estate planning.

Forsters' Private Wealth - The Life Cycle of Family Wealth logo


Sustainability and the future of farming

The impact of the global response to coronavirus on farming has added another angle to the already complicated debate around the future of farming in the UK.

Farm for Sustainability


Update for rural estates on policy developments

Like all businesses, rural estates and property owners are suffering from the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown. They should, therefore, continue to make the most of the economic support available from the government. We have written about relevant measures introduced by the government in the past few months, including the furlough scheme, and set out the details here of further schemes announced in the government’s summer economic statement:

Rural countryside and property


The Countryside Strikes Back – crucial considerations for moving to the country

If coronavirus has proved one thing, it's that Samuel Johnson was wrong when he said: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life". If anything the opposite is now true. With the bright lights of city living suddenly dimmed, the fresh air and open spaces of the countryside have never felt more attractive.

The Countryside Strikes Back – crucial considerations for moving to the country


Keep Farm and Stay Alert – what the latest lockdown guidance means for rural estates

The UK has moved to a new lockdown phase following Boris Johnson's statement on 10 May and subsequent government guidance. We summarise the key points for rural estates.

Keep Farm and Stay Alert – what the latest lockdown guidance means for rural estates


Our Insights

"They are a top-level firm who do some very high-quality work."
Chambers HNW Guide
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