FBC Manby Bowdler has strengthened its agricultural and rural services team with the appointment of two experienced agricultural solicitors as partners.
Both well known figures in the rural business communities of Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Welsh Borders, Sarah Baugh and Tom Devey join FBC Manby Bowdler’s 13 strong specialist agricultural team from MFG Solicitors.
Ms Baugh and Mr Devey will work closely with partner Steven Corfield to further increase FBC Manby Bowdler’s offering to its large number of farming clients and landed estates.
Ms Baugh trained at Martineau, working post qualification in their private client landed estate team before joining Gwynnes as an associate in May 2004.
She became a partner in MFG Solicitors (the merged firm of Gwynnes and Morton Fisher) in 2006 where she headed up its agricultural and rural affairs division for nearly five years.
Ms Baugh has built her reputation advising some of the largest landed estates in the Midlands and the Welsh Marches, and is a member of the Law Society, Agricultural Law Association and is a serving Country Landowners Association committee member at both local and national level.
Mr Devey trained with Gwynnes Solicitors and went on to become a partner in the agriculture and rural affairs division of MFG Solicitors.
He deals with all issues relating to agricultural property and businesses; including land sales and acquisitions, partnership matters, farming contracts, renewables, minerals, telecoms and agricultural tenancies. He also provides advice relating to subsidy and regulation under the Common Agricultural Policy and the law relating to country field sports.
Treasurer of the Shropshire branch of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mr Devey is also a member of the Agricultural Law Association, a member of the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, and a board member at the Fordhall Community Land Initiative.
Mr Corfield said: “We are delighted that two such well known and respected legal figures have chosen to join us and further enhance the depth and range of specialist advice available to our agricultural and rural clients.”
