Essex solicitor achieves agricultural recognition

Annabelle Savage, a solicitor in the rural business team at Essex firm Birkett Long, has become one of the youngest people to be awarded a Fellowship of the Agricultural Law Association (ALA).

Annabelle, 28, attended a five day residential course at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester and sat an examination in November. The results were announced in January and, after successfully passing, Annabelle will attend the ALA’s AGM and annual dinner in London on 18th February where she and other successful candidates will be presented with certificates.

The fellowship is a new qualification, introduced by the ALA in 2009. As a Fellow, Annabelle joins an exclusive group of just 38 people amongst the organisation’s 1,040 strong membership, which is made up of lawyers, surveyors, accountants, bankers and farm business consultants who specialise in advising farmers and landowners.

Coming from a farming family based in High Roding, Essex, Annabelle has ambitions to continue working in agricultural law as a key figure in the rural business team at Birkett Long. She strongly recommends the course to any other rural professionals looking to progress their career.

“The course gave me the opportunity to meet and network with experienced rural professionals from across the UK. It was extremely challenging to work full time and study, but it has definitely been worth it and means I can offer a wider range of services to my clients as a result.”

David Wybar, head of rural business, said Annabelle’s hard work and professional recognition would bolster the team’s established reputation in agricultural law. “We are very proud of Annabelle’s success and pleased that this achievement will be recognised by fellow professionals and others through her status as a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association. Studying for the qualification has strengthened her knowledge in areas such as litigation, mediation and tax and has helped to broaden the range of skills we have within the rural business team. This will only be of benefit to our farming and landowning clients. I’d like to congratulate her on this fantastic achievement.”