Email: nerys@maesltd.co.uk

Qualifications: Solicitor, FALA, Accredited Mediator

Founder of a specialist agricultural law firm in 2011, Nerys is a recognised lawyer in her specialist fields of agricultural, environmental and planning law and has been a fellow of the agricultural law association since 2009. Her doctorate was in the implementation and enforcement of agricultural law and policy at international and regional levels of governance. she is knowledgeable about the legal and administrative devolved structure of the UK and is a fluent welsh speaker.

Nerys is an experienced and successful mediator, having qualified as an ADR accredited mediator in 2011. She has a reputation for her pragmatic and common sense approach to resolving disputes. Nerys has acted as mediator in many mediations across England and Wales on a variety of matters including equine disputes, estate disputes, property disputes, proprietary estoppel and landlord and tenant matters. She is also a CEDR exchange member.

A renowned expert in rural disputes, Nerys has worked with a vast number of rural professionals and businesses to manage change, succession, and collaboration.

Nerys was raised on a dairy farm and now runs a beef and sheep enterprise with her husband.

Email: cmcnall@18sjs.com

Qualifications: Barrister, FALA, Accredited Mediator

Christopher McNall is a barrister specialising in agricultural law (especially tenancies under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, proprietary estoppel and Inheritance Act claims, and disputes involving crop failures and animal deaths) and is a CEDR accredited mediator. He edited the latest edition of the Agricultural Land section of Halsbury’s Laws of England, and is the author of ‘A Practical Guide to Agricultural Tenancies’ and Practical Law’s Rural Affairs ‘View from the Bar’ column.

He has wide experience of advising and representing parties in disputes before Courts and Tribunals and in arbitrations. He also sits as a fee-paid judge of the County Court and the First-tier Tribunal and is Principal Judge of the Agricultural Land Tribunal for Wales/Tribiwnlys Tir Amaethyddol Cymru, where he has dealt with a wide range of tenancy and drainage disputes. He has also acted as an independent ‘Third Party’ appointed by the parties to determine disputes.

Email: peters@falcon-chambers.com

Qualifications: Barrister, FCIArb

Edward Peters is a property litigation specialist, experienced in all aspects of landlord and tenant and real property law – agricultural, commercial, and residential. He has been a barrister at Falcon Chambers since 1999, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 2014.

‘Outstanding.’ (Chambers UK Guide)

Agricultural and rural disputes form a substantial part of his practice, encompassing Farming Partnerships, Farm Contracting Agreements, the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995, and a very great variety of other property disputes; and, as to forum, contractual arbitrations, statutory arbitrations, and proceedings in the First-tier Tribunal, Agricultural Land Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He has extensive experience of valuation issues, in many and diverse contexts.

He is an editor of Muir Watt on Agricultural Holdings, Woodfall’s Law of Landlord and Tenant, and various other works concerning property law.

Email: shea@falcon-chambers.com

Qualifications: Barrister, FCIArb

Caroline Shea KC is a King’s Counsel (appointed in 2016) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (appointed in 2014). She has specialised in property law since starting her career as a barrister at Falcon Chambers in 1995, where she continues to practice. Caroline specialises in rural and agricultural law, and co-authors Muir Watt and Moss (15th edition, 2018) on the law of agricultural holdings.

As an arbitrator and expert, she is appointed in claims involving both agricultural and general property law. Typical disputes in which Caroline is appointed include: Notices to Quit, especially under the 1986 Act; rent reviews; restrictive covenants and easements; family trusts; development agreements; proprietary estoppel; dilapidations; boundary issues; questions of construction. She is listed as a leading silk for rural and agricultural law, and for general property litigation, in both the major directories, and in 2019 was nominated by Legal 500 as Real Estate Silk of the Year.

Email: mtownsend@savills.com

Qualifications: FRICS, MCIArb, FAAV, TEP

Mike Townsend is a Director of Savills. He has a wealth of experience in dispute resolution, valuation and estate planning garnered during 40 years practicing as a chartered surveyor and is a member of STEP and an Arbitrator, Independent Expert and an Accredited Mediator.

He has been a member of the RICS panel of Arbitrators for 10 years and during that time has acted as arbitrator on a wide range of issues including the validity of notices to quit under the special cases A to H.

His deep understanding of the rural property market alongside his extensive experience in the dispute resolution arena and his knowledge and understanding of arbitration law and procedure enables him to assimilate and filter evidence quickly and efficiently.

Mike’s approach is technically thorough and detailed with a good measure of practicality and common sense.

Email: windsor@falcon-chambers.com

Qualifications: Barrister, FCIArb

Emily Windsor is a barrister practising from Falcon Chambers, London. She is listed as a leading practitioner for both Real Estate Litigation and Agriculture in both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guides.

Clients have described her as “brilliant”; “a true expert”; “stand-out” and “very pragmatic and clear”.

Emily has wide experience of property litigation at all levels, with particular expertise in agricultural arbitrations. She regularly sits a Deputy District Judge and arbitrator. She is also frequently invited to act as a legal assessor. Until recently, Emily was also a board member of the Bar Standards Board.

Email: jeremyzeid@icloud.com

Qualifications: FRICS, FCIArb, FAAV

Jeremy is a rural practice Chartered Surveyor and Agricultural Valuer with over 25 years’ experience. He regularly acts as an arbitrator to resolve a wide variety of rural property related disputes including statutory arbitrations under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 as well as disagreements under Contract Farming and Partnership Agreements.

He specialises in the valuation of rural, agricultural and equestrian property and is frequently appointed as an Independent Expert to determine valuation disputes under Option Agreements and Overage Deeds in relation to residential development land throughout East Anglia.

He holds a Masters Degree in Arbitration Law & Dispute Resolution Practice from Kingston University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.