3. If, in addition to your NFU Farmer & Grower membership, you also subscribe to the NFU Legal Assistance Program, we may request legal assistance on your behalf in appropriate cases. The NFU Scotland Legal Helpline is a service run by Gillespie Macandrew that provides NFU Scotland members with 20 minutes of free legal advice. Each call is answered by a member of the Lands and Rural Business team and then forwarded to the appropriate department within Gillespie Macandrew, who can then provide specific advice to the caller. “I am very grateful for the support provided, it has been very helpful. When farmers and producers face very high legal fees, it is important that the NFU can help, and that producer gratefully acknowledges that. * Financial support is at the discretion of the Legal Counsel and LAS team. Each case is decided on its facts and legal merits. Costs incurred prior to NFU notification are not eligible. Don`t sign contracts without understanding your rights and obligations. The above service could reduce the stress and high legal costs associated with contract disputes, which could be avoided if you seek professional advice before signing the contract. How much does it cost? Our legal health check service is free and is designed to provide you with a report highlighting any legal concerns or issues that need to be addressed.
Getting advice early before signing on the dotted line can protect you from potentially costly, time-consuming and stressful litigation in the future. For this reason, NFU, in partnership with Thrings, is pleased to offer a contract verification service to NFU Farmer & Grower members. Thrings can do the work on your behalf by providing our independent professional advice to ensure that you understand your rights and obligations and are confident that your goals will be achieved before signing the contract. We are the NFU`s appointed law firm for seven South East counties – Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex – and meet regularly with NFU County Councillors, Group Secretaries and NFU members. Our lawyers speak at legal conferences such as BIAC and Oxford Farming Conference and provide legal content for publications such as Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian and British Farmer and Grower. “There are not many places to turn to for advice, support and help for farmers. We found that the LAS team includes a nearby family business that is going through a legal crisis. It is not a legal expenses insurance, but it offers exclusive benefits to its subscribers. As well as providing legal advice, we serve and support our farming and rural community in a variety of ways and continually support the UK agri-food sector. 4.3 The Programme may cover between 30% and 75% of your legal costs (excluding VAT if you are registered for VAT) up to a maximum of £6000. In certain circumstances, funding may also be provided by the program`s National Legal Board. So that you, as a customer, can access the right information faster, at Thrings we have created our Take Five guides.
Sound clips of legal content in five steps. The NFU Legal Assistance Scheme (LAS) is a discretionary internal benefits scheme administered by a team of lawyers. It provides NFU Farmer & Grower members with professional advice and financial support for legal fees and other professional expenses in case you are faced with a dispute related to your farm or crop operation. Our latest blog describes the main issues identified during a legal audit of your institution`s health. On this page you will find information for farmers, including helpful guides and videos, details of our areas of expertise, and details on funding legal fees available to NFU members. Our free legal health check is specifically designed for farms and farms to identify areas where legal advice may be needed. If you are a member of NFU Scotland, we recommend using the NFU Scotland Helpline as your first point of contact if you are faced with a legal question to which you do not know the answer. Please call 0131 271 8585 and have your NFU Scotland membership number handy. NFU Legal Health Check If you would like us to conduct a free legal health check of your farm and operation, click on the “Take our survey” link at the top of this page. We will contact you for a telephone or personal health examination of your legal interests. This is free and takes place at a time and place that suits you and, if applicable, your family/business partners. 4.1 The System provides, at its sole discretion, assistance with legal fees related to contentious legal issues, i.e.
disputes in any form. Support is not available if the other party to the dispute is also a member of the NFU, although in this situation the program may provide assistance with the costs of mediation. We operate an internal mediation system called Direct Solutions, which may be suitable if the parties to the dispute are not our existing clients. We are one of only two law firms appointed on the National Farmers Union (NFU) Legal Panel for North East members. 1.1 A free initial consultation with us. This initial consultation will likely last 15 to 30 minutes and will be used to identify and discuss the problem; identify possible courses of action available to you; and provide a rough indication of the anticipated costs and schedule. Our appointment to the NFU Legal Committee is regularly reviewed and monitored by the NFU, and we are committed to continuing to provide quality legal advice and services to NFU members in the Northeast. Our long-standing relationship with the NFU and the rural community in our region means that we have a good understanding of the issues facing NFU members, and are therefore able to provide practical and useful legal advice. We will make recommendations if we think you need additional legal assistance. We`ll break down the costs that V brings and give an overview of what you can claim with the NFU. There is no obligation to continue.
We are proud to have been appointed NFU Panel Firm for Central and South Wales. We have been members of the Board of Directors since 2008 and therefore benefit from the close cooperation with the NFU. We represent NFU members referred to us through the NFU call center and we take care of any legal issues that NFU members may have in relation to their farms. In addition to 12.5% off legal fees for certain services, eligible NFU members can also receive the following contributions until October 2021: – By safeguarding the interests and wishes of the people involved in the farm, as well as the management of the farm, you can be sure that these audit services offered by NFU and legal firms identify the aspects, that you need to make sure they are present and properly documented to protect your farm for the future. Learn more about discounts for setting up or updating documents for farms and farm families using the Contract Review Service and the Legal Health Check service. The entire team shows a deep understanding and interest in the work and lifestyle of farm clients, so better and often more practical advice can be offered. The helpline isn`t just for small questions, it can be useful as a first step on the way to solving a complex problem. In the past, we have received calls from relatives after a recent death. It is obvious that 20 minutes of telephone legal advice is simply not enough in such a situation. However, there is enough time to give the appellant a roadmap on the upcoming process, the first steps they can take before seeking additional legal help, and who to contact first. Through clear and simple steps, it can give the caller peace of mind during a very emotional and stressful time. LAS provides financial assistance and professional advice to its subscribers who are facing litigation related to their farming and/or growing business.
The pace of change in agricultural legislation continues to accelerate and the volume of new regulations is larger and more complex than ever. With the recent challenges stemming from Brexit, COVID and COP26, farmers have never needed the best specialist legal advice as much as they do today. Finally, the helpline can help avoid harmless mistakes. For example, if you are a landlord or tenant involved in a farm lease, there are many small technical points that can trip you up with potentially catastrophic and costly consequences. Calling the helpline can be your first step in taking a proactive approach to making sure what you thought you agreed to was reflected in the legal situation. The NFU Scotland helpline is there for nagging thoughts in the back of your mind that you have ignored or for questions that you have dealt with. As one of 16 law firms on the NFU Legal Panel nationwide, we are the panel firm for Cheshire and Derbyshire. By understanding our strengths, passion and enthusiasm in what we do, we provide comprehensive legal advice and expertise to NFU members in the Northeast. Thrings` agricultural team has been providing industry-focused legal advice to farmers for over three hundred years.
If you choose to do so, we will ask for a contribution from the NFU on your behalf, whether it is the 12.5% discount, the £250 health check or up to £1000 for contract drafting. Rights of way (including Section 31(6) applications) To view our NFU Legal Services brochure, follow this link NFU Legal Services Brochure 4.5 Premiums will be paid to you as reimbursement of your expenses.
