Shona Alexander and Maddie Dunn contribute to Family Law Journal, examining how disputes and relationship breakdowns can impact family farms
min readThe family farm is more than a business; it is a legacy often spanning generations. Yet when relationships break down whether through divorce or disputes between siblings and generations that legacy can quickly become a battlefield.
Family farms frequently operate through a patchwork of companies partnerships tenancies and trusts with governance shaped more by tradition than by documentation. When conflict arises this informality collides with the rigid frameworks of family and company law creating disputes that are costly destabilising and deeply personal.
Shona Alexander, Partner in our Family team, alongside Maddie Dunn, Legal Director in our Dispute Resolution team, examine the unique vulnerabilities of farming businesses when relationships sour. They explore how unfair prejudice claims operate when a farming company may be treated as a quasi-partnership and how the Family Court approaches agricultural assets on divorce.
They also address the procedural interplay between the Family Court and the Business and Property Courts and offer practical guidance on protective measures governance reforms and settlement strategies.
The full article can be accessed in Family Law Journal here (subscription required).
