Meet the team
Michael Yellowlees
Partner, Head of Rural Services
Rural Services
Phone
0131 656 5669
Address
Caledonian Exchange 19A Canning Street Edinburgh EH3 8HE
Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Agricultural Law
About Michael
Michael is a Partner and head of our Rural Services team. He specialises in rural property law, including buying, selling and leasing all types of rural property, with particular expertise in the acquisition and disposal of high value farms and estates. In addition, he provides clients with specialised advice in relation to agricultural law, crofting law, feudal dignities, mineral rights, renewable energy projects, servitudes and sporting rights.
Michael’s clients include a significant number of large landed estates, such as the Argyll, Lochiel, Strathconon, and Murthly Estates, as well as numerous private individuals and corporate bodies with rural interests throughout Scotland. He also represents a number of renewable energy companies, including Gamesa Energy (UK) Limited, a Spanish Energy Company, in relation to various wind farm, hydro and biomass projects across Scotland.
Michael has a doctorate in Scottish History, which complements his professional interest in Scots property law. Michael is a member of the Crofting Law Group and the Scottish Renewables Forum. He handles rural property transactions and developments, with a niche grasp of heraldic rights. Michael is a Director of the Scottish Barony Register.
Expertise
Highlights
- Advising on all types of renewable energy projects including wind, hydro, solar and biomass.
- Advising a wide range of not-for-profit clients on all aspects of their rural property interests, such as the University of Edinburgh, Rosslyn Chapel Trust, The Bothy Trust, The Jacobites Mountaineering Club and The Heather Trust.
- Acting in the purchase of Lamb Island off North Berwick on behalf of the TV personality, Uri Geller, and the purchase of Sanda Island off the Mull of Kintyre for a foreign purchaser. He also acts for ‘island clients’ on Colonsay, Islay, Lismore, Mull Tiree, Berneray, South Uist, Harris, Lewis, Orkney and Shetland.
- The leading practitioner in the sale and purchase of Feudal Dignities, including Baronies, Lordships and Earldoms. Most recently acting in a number of high profile acquisitions including the purchase of the Earldoms of Nithsdale and Erroll.
- Recent new clients include Strathconon Estate in Ross & Cromarty and Eishken Estate on the Isle of Lewis.
"The head of the firm's rural services team Michael Yellowlees has a significant practice in rural property transactions. Yellowlees is described as "steady, responsive and proactive, with an excellent command of the legal landscape.""
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News & Insights
From the team
news 5 June 2019
New legislation means caution is advised regarding which list of agricultural tenants’ improvements applies to your circumstances
news 24 May 2019
A purchaser of forestry can avoid unwelcome issues when it comes to realising the investment by fully investigating the following key areas when considering potential sites
insights 24 April 2019
A recent case offers guidance on points that may affect landowners’ negotiations and contracts with telecoms operators, most notably on the way rents ...
insights 5 April 2019
Buying rural property in Scotland can take first time buyers and urban homeowners into unfamiliar territory – including issues from private water supplies to unadopted roads
news 5 March 2019
This article on changes to LBTT rates and thresholds by Tim Macdonald from our Rural team, features in the next edition of Land Business, Scottish Lan...
insights 6 August 2018
A recent case demonstrates how important it is to know the ways to create and differentiate between a servitude of access and a public right of way over another person’s land
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