Agricultural And Farming Disputes

Farming and agricultural disputes often involve family businesses, land held over generations and informal succession arrangements. These disputes can be highly sensitive and financially significant.

Our team advises farming families, landowners and rural businesses on resolving disputes relating to succession, ownership and inheritance.

Common farming disputes

We advise on disputes involving:

succession and inheritance of farmland
farming proprietary estoppel claims
partnership and quasi-partnership disputes
disputes between siblings or generations
trust and land ownership issues

Farming proprietary estoppel

Many farming disputes arise where assurances have been made about inheriting land or a business, but those promises are not reflected in a will.

What is a farming proprietary estoppel claim?

A farming proprietary estoppel claim may arise where a family member has relied on promises about inheriting farmland or a farming business and suffered a detriment as a result.

Common farming scenarios

These claims often involve:

long-term unpaid or underpaid work
assurances about future inheritance
changes to wills late in life
disputes following retirement or death

Remedies available

The court may award land, property interests or financial compensation to satisfy the equity.

Why choose Hugh James?

We understand the unique pressures of agricultural disputes and offer practical, sensitive advice informed by extensive experience in rural and family-owned assets.

Roman Kubiak is described by a client as “tremendously capable, he knows what he is doing. He’s a national figure.” Another source adds: “Roman is exceptionally knowledgeable, he is very pragmatic and very solution-oriented.”

Chambers & Partners

A natural and dynamic leader’, the ‘very impressive’ Roman Kubiak heads the firm’s Private Wealth Disputes team and is noted for his ‘deep knowledge of estates and trusts law’.

The Legal 500

Recent experience

Advised farming family on a proprietary estoppel claim relating to succession of farmland, achieving a tailored remedy for continued occupation.
Represented siblings in a dispute over inherited agricultural land, balancing ownership interests and farm viability.

Key contact

Roman Kubiak TEP

Partner

Roman Kubiak is a Partner and Head of the market leading Private Wealth Disputes team.

He advises across the whole spectrum of private wealth disputes, with a particular focus on high value, complex and cross-border disputes including: trust disputes, breach of trust claims and applications to remove trustees; will disputes, particularly those with an international element; claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975; and claims for equitable relief under proprietary estoppel, constructive trusts and resulting trusts.