Richie is a Partner in the dispute resolution team, with experience of complex litigation in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as in depth knowledge of the agricultural sector.
Having established a specialist practice advising and acting for agricultural clients on challenges to government and local authority decisions affecting their land, Richie’s successes include appealing non-domestic (business) rates decisions made by the Valuation Office Agency on behalf of farming clients, many of whom had originally been rated due to the expansion or diversification of their agricultural operations. He acted for the successful appellant in a 2025 Court of Appeal decision that brought clarity to the sector as a whole on the legal test for agricultural exemptions to business rates. In addition, Richie has advised clients on challenging decisions made by local Councils and government executive agencies in relation to permits and the right to use land for agricultural operations, including judicial review of those decisions.
As part of this practice, Richie has detailed knowledge of the legal and practical issues that come with public rights of way running over private land. With many agricultural or rural clients owning property that is subject to footpaths or bridleways, Richie can advise on this unique area of law and make the necessary court applications to challenge of vary these routes in order to protect the client’s personal or business interests.
At Thrings, Richie has also gained extensive experience of complex and high value litigation, with a particular focus on will, trusts and estate disputes. He has represented both beneficiaries and executors in challenges to the validity of a will; and has acted on multiple inheritance disputes involving proprietary estoppel, unjust enrichment and constructive and resulting trusts. This includes assisting the successful appellants in the landmark proprietary estoppel Supreme Court case of Guest v Guest in 2022. Given his experience in the agricultural sector, Richie’s specialist knowledge of commercial litigation includes high value land and property disputes, as well as complex partnership disputes or dissolutions.
Securing an exemption to non-domestic (business) rates for a largescale agricultural business in the Court of Appeal by overturning the original assessment by the Valuation Office Agency and the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).
Advising and representing multiple businesses on challenges to non-domestic (business) rating decisions, to include full or partial agricultural exemptions.
Assisting the successful appellants in the Supreme Court proprietary estoppel case of Guest v Guest [2022] UKSC 27.
Representing landowners when making and defending applications to divert public rights of way.
Acting for businesses to challenge decisions made by government executive agencies affecting permissions for the use of agricultural land.
Acting for both claimants and defendants in high-value proprietary estoppel claims and similar litigation involving resulting and constructive trusts.
Advising on and acting for clients concerning challenges to wills on the grounds of capacity, due execution and undue influence.
Successfully defending a claim at trial concerning an alleged equitable tenancy; a contractual licence; constructive trust; and implied rights of way over the client’s farmland.
Commercial litigation involving express, implied and collateral contract disputes; high value sale of goods claims including misrepresentation and breaches of warranty.
