Written by John Swire
Rural professional advisers are being invited to apply for the new Agricultural Law Association Dispute Resolution Panel, to act as arbitrators, mediators and expert determiners.
The draft Agriculture Bill (published in March) extended authority to the Agricultural Law Association (ALA) to appoint professional arbitrators in England and Wales, and rural professionals are now being encouraged to apply to the newly established Panel which will also operate across the UK. “There is a need for a broader spectrum of arbitrators, mediators and experts with different skill sets and professional knowledge to be made available to the rural and agricultural sector,” explains Mike Holland, secretary and adviser to the ALA.
Mike Holland
“Rural businesses are diverse enterprises which need professional services that reflect the many different land and property issues that can arise for owners, tenants, contractors and other occupiers, or those with an interest in the land and property.
“Through the formation of the Panel, the ALA wants to reflect its inter-professional membership and ensure the rural sector has a wide choice when it comes to appointing an arbitrator, mediator or expert,” he adds.
To apply for the Panel, applicants must be full members of the ALA and must submit an application form and self-assessment submission under the ALA’s Competency Framework and Self-Assessment Guidelines and Requirements.
Membership of the Panel will be transparent and available for full public view to enable the parties to a dispute to choose the most appropriate professional to deal with their situation.
“The formation of this Panel offers rural businesses an opportunity to access trained and qualified professionals to handle disputes,” says Mr Holland. “The aim is that it will include members from all professions advising on rural businesses, ensuring a high quality and relevant expert can be appointed to each case.”
The application deadline is 5pm on Friday 24 July 2020.
Application forms can be download from https://ala.org.uk/ala-dispute-resolution/ or by emailing [email protected].
Panel membership will continue for three years, and another round of applications will open in 2023.
For more information visit www.ala.org.uk.
Get Our E-Newsletter - breaking news to your in-box twice a week
See e-newsletter example
Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy
Continue reading on the Farm Business Website...
