Regular West Wales Farmer legal columnist, JCP Director and Head of Rural Practice, Rory Hutchings, shares some good news from the team.

JCP Solicitors will continue to care for the legal needs of National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru members in South Wales, having retained its long-held position as the NFU Panel Firm for the region – one of only two Welsh firms to remain on the Panel since its inception.

One of the largest indigenous law firms in Wales, JCP Solicitors has now been on the Panel since 2008 and we enjoy the close working relationship we have established and fostered with the NFU Cymru as a result.

And, of course, we are delighted to be the legal safety net for hundreds of members of the farming community in South, West and Mid Wales. The process for those who need our help is simple - we represent NFU Cymru members referred to us via the NFU Cymru Call First centre and we deal with any legal queries NFU Cymru members have regarding their farming business.

The enquiries we look after are wide-ranging, and since many of our team have farming and agricultural interests outside the workplace, we fully understand the rural community, and its strengths and challenges. We aim to work with our clients to look after their needs, whether that be succession planning, buying and selling land or dealing with disputes as and when they arise. We find it incredibly satisfying to know we are making a valuable contribution to the very important rural fabric of this part of Wales and to the rural economy that is such a mainstay of the wider Welsh economy.

The NFU Cymru Legal Panel is reviewed every three years, with an intensive judging period, which examines the firm’s legal services, fee structures and its commitment to the NFU Cymru and its members. It also takes into account feedback from NFU members and staff. As the NFU Director of Finance and Business Services, Ken Sutherland, said upon confirming the appointment of the Panel: “The Legal Panel is a vital part of the services offered to NFU Cymru members, and following a rigorous and robust review process I am delighted to confirm that fifteen firms have been reappointed. The firms have built upon and strengthened their agricultural and rural teams, and their professionalism and depth of knowledge is second-to-none.”

The uncertainty over what the future holds for the industry as a result of Brexit combined with the plethora of regulation within the industry over the past few years has put the Legal Panel in greater demand and it is important to us that, for our part, we continue to provide the best possible service to those who call upon us.

■ For tailored legal advice from the Rural Practice Team call: 01267 234 022 or email rory.hutchings@ jcpsolicitors.co.uk

■ Welsh is spoken in JCP Solicitors’ Rural Practice Team.