Thomson Snell & Passmore welcomes new Partner to Wills, Estate & Tax Planning team

We have welcomed Fiona Higgott as a Partner in our well respected Wills, Estate & Tax Planning division. Fiona has significant experience in working with farming families, landowners and the rural community.

She joins from DMH Stallard, where she has spent the last 11 years. She brings with her a wealth of expertise in estate planning, including tax efficient wills, the creation of lifetime settlements, making Potentially Exempt Transfers (PETs), utilising gifts out of excess income and the arrangement of estates to maximise Agricultural Relief (AR) and Business Relief (BR).

Her appointment will add further depth and breadth to the team, following the appointment of Penelope Edgar as the new Head of Agriculture & Rural Property in the summer. This means the firm now boasts one of the largest dedicated Agricultural & Rural Property legal teams in the region.

As such, the team is perfectly positioned to support the farming industry as it undergoes a period of rapid change. New regulations, an increased focus on sustainability and biodiversity, skills and labour shortages, the rising cost of fuel and machinery, are all impacting on farmers and agricultural businesses.

As many farming businesses are family owned and run, there are also really important conversations to be had around topics such as succession planning as well as wider estate and tax planning.

Now more than ever, the rural community needs access to trusted advisers who not only understand the specific issues farmers face, but also the wider regulatory and legal landscape. It is also important to have professional advisors who understand your unique needs, from inheritance tax advice to planning issues and everything in between. This is something that can only be achieved through building lasting relationships.

The world is constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep up. Having access to a good adviser, will ensure farmers can better anticipate and adapt to change, allowing them to not just survive, but thrive.