‘Top tier’ when it comes to agricultural matters, Falcon Chambers‘ expertise spans the breadth of the sector, acting in proprietary estoppel, partnership and land ownership disputes for major agricultural landowners. Caroline Shea KC is highly versed in partnership disputes regarding farm land; she appeared in Allan v Allan, a familial dispute where one brother seeks to dissolve the partnership on the grounds of prejudicial conduct. Edward Peters KC appeared in the second appeal of the highly significant Proctor v Proctor, which clarified the law on financial entitlement following retirement from a partnership. Jonathan Karas KC acted in R (Trio Square) v Forestry Commission, a judicial review of the Commission’s decision to issue a re-stocking notice. Emily Windsor leads another in an Upper Tribunal claim seeking to vary a restrictive covenant to permit the construction of a housing development.

‘Assisted by a superb team of clerks’, the members of Francis Taylor Building are frequently instructed by the government, public authorities, land owners and private individuals on an array of agriculture matters, especially village greens and highways disputes. Richard Honey KC acted for Natural England in Natural England v Cooper, a Court of Appeal case that established the public authority had the power to seek an injunction against a farmer. Morag Ellis KC appeared in an inquiry into an application for the release and replacement of common land at Swansea. Ned Westaway leads another junior in R (British Horse Society) v Cornwall Council, a judicial review of the council’s refusal to register applications for definitive map modification orders.

Providing an ‘invaluable service to practitioners’, New Square Chambers contains experienced barristers in public inquiry, judicial review and statutory appeals contexts. Members regularly act in cases concerning public rights over land, village greens, highways and statutory nuisance. Well-versed in definitive map order modification orders, George Laurence KC acted in one such case examining where a surveying authority may refuse to make an order despite a conflict of fact between a landowner and applicant. In Cotham School v Bristol City Council, Paul Wilmshurst acted for the council in this case which clarified the law on the application to deregister land as a village green.