Agriculture & Rural Affairs
UK Guide 2025 : Scotland
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(0141) 221 8888About
Provided by Harper Macleod LLP
The firm has a dedicated Rural team which also accesses a range of skills and expertise from across Harper Macleod’s full range of services, allowing us to advise far beyond the scope of the ‘traditional’ rural solicitor. Our team advises rural businesses of all types and size throughout Scotland, including some of the country's leading rural sector bodies. With offices in Inverness, Elgin, Lerwick, Thurso, Glasgow and Edinburgh, our team has a unique Scottish footprint.
Our team focuses on the key areas of Scotland's rural economy: agriculture, fishing and forestry; natural capital projects; rural business; marine economy; and individuals and family.
Our team has extensive knowledge of the law related to crofting, with lead partner Calum Macleod, a fluent Gaelic speaker, advising both crofters and landowners on all crofting law matters.
Our rural property experience also sees us regularly work with the leading banks and financial institutions on funding and refinancing rural businesses. We are the sole supplier of property legal services to Scotland’s biggest landowner, Forestry and Land Scotland. We also act for a number of other leading rural sector bodies, including NatureScot and Cairngorms National Park Authority.
Chambers Review
Harper Macleod advises on the full range of agriculture and rural transactions, including forestry agreements, land registration, crofting matters, bank lending and private client advice. The firm regularly deals with high-value and complex forestry transactions. It continues to advise on renewable energy schemes as well as community ownership issues.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Harper Macleod have good hands-on knowledge and practical, pragmatic ways to resolve difficult matters. They have a very good team with a great knowledge base covering all matters."
"The firm has always been able to quickly and easily answer our questions, which are often complex and multifaceted. They understand our business and what areas are pertaining to us."
"Harper Macleod have good hands-on knowledge and practical, pragmatic ways to resolve difficult matters. They have a very good team with a great knowledge base covering all matters."
"The firm has always been able to quickly and easily answer our questions, which are often complex and multifaceted. They understand our business and what areas are pertaining to us."
Notable Practitioners
Tom Gray is a partner who advises clients on rural property matters. He has significant experience acting on estate and property acquisitions.
"Tom Gray clearly explained things and suggested commercial alternatives."
"Tom Gray has the ability to get things done and goes that extra distance to achieve the desired result. A very competent person with a good understanding of agriculture."
"We have been very pleased to have Tom acting on our behalf. He is over all of the detail to do with all matters we put to him and acts in an incredibly professional but categorical manner."
Calum MacLeod is an accredited crofting law specialist who advises both crofters and landowners in this area.