Rural Property and Business
Our team of agricultural specialists is deeply connected with the rural world, and many of the relationships we’ve built have lasted through generations. We offer practical advice and insight on succession planning, sales and purchases, renewables projects, agricultural tenancies, and the full range of issues that matter to people who live, work or operate in the rural sector.

The rural world has seen a lot of change in recent years. Land reform, Brexit, taxation changes and climate change have all created uncertainty and risk. We work with individuals and institutions across the rural sector, giving them the specific guidance that they need to move forward in this rapidly evolving environment.

The close connections that many of our senior lawyers have within the rural sector give us a deep understanding not just of our clients’ perspectives and priorities, but the realities and challenges of their day-to-day work. We greatly value the relationships we’ve developed over time, some of which have continued from one generation to the next.

Our legal expertise is exceptionally strong (with five members of our team accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as Specialists in Agricultural Law) and broad, covering everything from renewables to tax to disputes. And this is augmented by support from the other specialist teams within the firm.

All of this means that we’re able to help our clients with all the various legal issues that they might face. It also enables us to proactively guide them – alerting them to new laws or other future developments, and giving them the advice they need to manage those changes successfully.

We have expertise in all areas of rural and estate law, including:

Meet our key contacts

Petra Grunenberg

Partner and Head of Rural Property and Business

Contact by email

+44 (0)1224 343 554

+44 (0)758 588 8647

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Meet our key contacts

Stuart Greenwood

Partner

Forestry, Carbon and Natural Capital, Agricultural Tenancies, Share Farming and Contract Farming Arrangements

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Petra Grunenberg

Partner and Head of Rural Property and Business

Rural Property and Business, Rural Succession Planning, Renewables, Purchase and Sale of Agricultural and Rural Property and Rural Finance, Farming Partnerships

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Stephanie Hepburn

Partner

Right of Responsible Access, Crofting Law

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Hamish Lean

Partner

Agricultural Tenancies, Share Farming and Contract Farming Arrangements

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Richard Leslie

Partner

Land Management and Diversification, Forestry, Crofting Law

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Emma Robertson

Partner

Land Management and Diversification, Right of Responsible Access, Farming Partnerships, Crofting Law, Agricultural Tenancies, Share Farming and Contract Farming Arrangements

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Meet our full team

Kathryn Argo

Senior Solicitor

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Sophie Bailey

Senior Associate

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Laura Barron

Associate

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Heather Bird

Director

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Emma Brown

Solicitor

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Alanna Buchan

Solicitor

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Gillian Campbell

Partner

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Vicky Christie

Senior Associate

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Emma De Sailly

Senior Associate

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Rebecca Devine

Senior Solicitor

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Lauren Finlay

Senior Solicitor

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Gillian Gibbons

Director

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Aileen Gordon

Senior Associate

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Alexis Graham

Partner

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Olivia Greener

Senior Solicitor

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Stuart Greenwood

Partner

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Petra Grunenberg

Partner and Head of Rural Property and Business

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Emma Hendrie

Senior Solicitor

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Stephanie Hepburn

Partner

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Elaine Hunter

Partner

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Alexandra Lane

Director

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Shona Lean

Solicitor

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Hamish Lean

Partner

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Richard Leslie

Partner

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Keith McLaren

Partner

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Katie McNab

Senior Associate

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John Morrison

Partner

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Harry Oliff

Associate

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Sophie Philip-Davidson

Senior Solicitor

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Scarlett Retallack

Senior Associate

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Emma Robertson

Partner

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Alison Rochester

Partner

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Malcolm Rust

Partner

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Sarah Shepherd

Senior Solicitor

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Ross Simpson

Senior Solicitor

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Douglas Sinclair

Partner

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Tom Swan

Partner

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Fiona Taylor

Senior Solicitor

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John Townsend

Partner

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Susie Tweedie

Senior Associate

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Lauren White

Solicitor

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Related articles and insights: Rural Property and Business

11 November 2025

Joint ventures in the clean energy sector: Resolving deadlocks (part 1) – continuing the Joint Venture

Contributor: Euan Small

In this eighth instalment in our clean energy joint ventures series, we look at the mechanisms for dealing with situations in which agreement cannot be reached, known as deadlocks.

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22 October 2025

Scottish Land Court approves resumption of common grazings for Harris Outdoor Hub

Contributor: Stephanie Hepburn

The Scottish Land Court upheld the North Harris Trust’s resumption of common grazing for a community Outdoor Hub, affirming that such developments can proceed under the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 even with limited crofting opposition.

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15 October 2025

Your questions answered: How do I set up a trust to protect my assets?

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Are you considering whether a trust is right for you? In this article we explore some important considerations and the key steps required in order to set up a trust and protect your assets.

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3 October 2025

Inheritance disputes and the disappointed farmer

Contributors:
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How does the law differ in England and Scotland regarding inheritance disputes? This article outlines two recent inheritance disputes and the key differences of each relating to the different laws north and south of the border.

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3 October 2025

Green burials. The most environmentally friendly option – until it isn’t

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As green burials become increasingly popular in Scotland as an eco-friendly alternative, addressing practical considerations is essential to minimise potential disputes.

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2 October 2025

What is a cottar?

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A recently published judgment of the Land Court has shed light on a little-discussed but potentially consequential area of the Scots law of property.

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Contact us

Petra Grunenberg

Partner and Head of Rural Property and Business

Contact by email

+44 (0)1224 343 554

+44 (0)758 588 8647

Connect on LinkedIn

Download vCard

View Profile