Tees and HCR Hewitsons have been reappointed after a review that assessed the firms’ legal services, engagement with the organisation and its members, as well as feedback from NFU members and staff.
NFU Regional Director Zoe Leach said: “The legal panel is an important feature of the NFU’s legal services offering to our members and I am delighted that both firms have been reappointed.
“The NFU’s panel firms are committed to supporting NFU members and have clearly strengthened their agricultural and rural teams over the past few years. Their broad expertise is highly valued by our in-house legal team and NFU members.”
Denise Wilkinson, head of agriculture and rural affairs sector at HCR Hewitsons, said: “We are delighted to be reappointed to the legal panel to serve Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
“These are challenging times for those involved in agriculture, rural business or land management and the NFU membership services and support will be needed by them more than ever.
“We are committed to supporting the NFU and its members. As a team we have decades of experience dealing with the complex legal and strategic challenges that arise and we have a wide range of specialists who can help.”
Tees has been reappointed to help members farming in Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk. Partner Caroline Metcalf said: “We are pleased to have been selected to be on the NFU legal panel again. Being selected really demonstrates Tees’ depth of legal knowledge and expertise in agricultural and rural issues.”
The firms appointed to the legal panel offer a comprehensive legal service encompassing all areas of law relevant to farming and growing, including succession planning, diversification, renewable energy, dispute resolution, planning, probate, family and conveyancing. In the latest financial year, the panel offered a total discount of over £500,000 to NFU members.
Richard Hirst, NFU regional representative for the legal assistance scheme, said: “The aftermath of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic created several challenges for farming and growing businesses.
“We are entering a period of transition for the industry. This undoubtedly puts the legal panel in high demand, providing expert advice to NFU members on a wide range of legal matters."