Rural Business & Natural Capital

Wealth of experience in rural business and natural capital law

Our rural business and natural capital team provides technical legal expertise and a full range of sector-specific specialisms to assist businesses and individuals in the rural and agricultural sector, across all aspects of their operations.

We work closely with our clients to understand them and their strategic objectives. We draw on the full range of specialisms available within Brodies to provide the right team of experts, to deliver a seamless service.

Our rural business and natural capital lawyers have a wealth of expertise and experience in the rural sector. Many of our colleagues live and work in rural areas and come from rural business backgrounds, so we understand the diverse, complex and individual challenges that the sector faces on a daily basis.

Our rural law services

We offer a wide range of legal advice for individuals and businesses, including but not limited to:.

• Landed Estates
• Farming and agriculture
• Forestry
• Carbon codes and trading (including Woodland and Peatland Carbon Codes)
• Biodiversity and nature-based markets
• Wills and succession 
• Agricultural tenancies
• Crofting
• Bank securities and rural finance
• Business structures
• Dispute resolution – including contentious agricultural holdings
• Diversification
• Commercial development in the rural sector (renewables, housing, utilities)
• Environmental
• Rural employment
• Health and safety

Our rural business and natural capital lawyers

As the rural sector continues to evolve, our breadth of experience ensures that we provide specialist advice that is individual and personalised to cater for your individual or business needs. At a time when the law is developing quickly and becoming more complex, we are a trusted voice to help guide you.

Our lawyers are immersed in the rural sector. Our advice includes the following areas:

• agriculture – farms and farm businesses;
• landed estates – purchase and sale – and advice to land managers;
• land for forestry investment or ownership;
• succession;
• leasing land for a renewables project;
• diversification into agritourism;
• farm business structures;
• employee rights; and
• tax structuring for offshore clients
  

We also advise on investments in land for carbon offsetting, planting forestry, renewables and rewilding, as well as supporting landowners in establishing carbon credit schemes.

We act across jurisdictions, often advising overseas clients with interests in rural property on Scotland.

We play a key role in helping our clients navigate new and evolving areas. Natural capital is a rapidly-growing market that presents new opportunities for landowners to capitalise on the natural products and processes on their land, while playing a role in businesses' journeys towards sustainability. Our natural capital specialists provide guidance on the ins and outs of these possibilities, to help you make informed decisions that are right for you, and your business.

Renewable energy is another area of consideration for landowners; we work closely with other specialists in our firm, to help landowners maximise those opportunities.

Our lawyers have the experience and technical capability to provide the highest level of advice and we develop long lasting relationships with our clients.