Edward is a Litigation Partner in the agriculture and estates team based in Bristol. He joined the firm in 2026.
He specialises in rural land, farming businesses, and landed estate matters. Edward’s clients include landowners, farmers, estates, charities, financial institutions, family businesses, developers and renewables companies.
An experienced litigator, Edward’s work includes commercial litigation, partnership and shareholder disputes, professional negligence claims, property and a range of regulatory disputes. He is recognised in Chambers & Partners [UK 2026] as “….really on top of his game. He fights his client’s case powerfully, but also in a sensible and pragmatic way, and always gets good results”.
Edward is also a qualified mediator and regularly supports clients with advice on how to avoid disputes and risk management. For example, in helping farming business navigate the challenge of succession planning or helping developers and renewables companies assess a proposed development site.
Recent work highlights
Challenging government decisions
Edward and his team increasingly advise on challenges to government (or government body) decisions, including by way of judicial review. Recent work includes advising on a challenge to the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive in 2025, which successfully resulted in the partial reopening of the scheme. That benefited the agriculture sector by more than £37 million.
Partnership and farming succession disputes
Edward advises on succession planning and disputes arising in farming businesses. He recently concluded the settlement of a dispute between three partners involving the division of assets worth over £20 million.
Agricultural tenancies and occupation
Edward regularly advises on disputes involving agricultural tenancies, acting for landowners, tenants and third parties such as renewables companies seeking to develop sites. Recent work includes advising a company facing challenges in the planning process due to the existence of an Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy.
Experience & education
2026 Joined Birketts
2002 Qualified as a Solicitor
Areas of Expertise
Accreditations
Chambers [UK 2026]
Band 1
Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR)
Accredited Mediator
Agricultural Law Association
Member
Property Litigation Association
Member
