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High calibre appointment for our rural department

11 July 2016

A well-known and established rural lawyer has joined our partnership.

Robin Beckley is now the partner in charge of our agriculture & estates department. An Oxford graduate with an extensive rural background, the ‘personable, thorough and clear’ lawyer is well-known for his agricultural and property law expertise.

Robin will work closely with colleagues in our commercial and private client services to provide authoritative legal advice to their rural client base. He brings more than 30 years’ experience to the firm and has been recommended in national legal guides since 2005.

His clients are predominately farmers, landowners, farming partnerships and rural businesses in Gloucestershire and surrounding areas. He advises them on all aspects of agricultural law including the Basic Payment Scheme, agri-environmental schemes, farm business tenancies and sporting rights. He also handles all types of property transactions ranging from landlord and tenant issues to sale of land for development by means of option and promotion agreements, acts as trustee for several clients and provides commercial property advice for private clients.

Robin grew up in Cheltenham and was a pupil at Pate’s Grammar School. After graduating in law from St Edmund Hall Oxford, he trained and worked for City firm Slaughter and May before moving back to Cheltenham firm Rickerbys in the 1980s, where he was a partner for over twenty years and lead partner for their agriculture & estate clients.

Commenting on his new position, Robin Beckley said:

“I’ve spent most of my 30 years in practice in Gloucestershire, and am delighted to be back in Cheltenham working at such a well-known county firm. I’ve respected Willans for many years. They have a lot of talented people.”

This news comes shortly after the firm’s announcement of its new managing partner and three solicitor promotions. Bridget Redmond is now at the helm and Ruth Baker has been made partner in the wills, probate & trusts team. Jennifer Emerson, of the same team, and Nick Southwell in the litigation & dispute resolution are now associate solicitors.

Commenting on Robin’s arrival and the firm’s recent promotions, our managing partner Bridget Redmond said:

“I’m thrilled that Robin has joined us. He is a lawyer of truly exceptional calibre and an excellent fit with our firm. It’s great to be able to offer our clients the benefit of Robin’s wealth of knowledge and experience.”

“I’m equally delighted that Ruth has accepted partnership with us. She is a hugely talented lawyer and these are exciting times for our private client team which is going from strength to strength. I am also excited by Jennifer and Nick’s promotions. They are excellent lawyers and have grown to become key members of their respective departments.”

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Robin Beckley MA (Oxon)
Consultant, solicitor
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Robin Beckley, Willans LLP
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