Crofting Law
Scotland’s crofting laws and regulations are unique. We provide the specialist advice – and experience of complex legal issues – that is required by landowners, tenants, owner-occupiers and those developing on croft and common grazing land.

We advise on all aspects of crofting law in Scotland. We act for landowners, estates, crofters and businesses operating in the crofting counties providing pragmatic advice and solutions.

We support clients with matters including:

Crofting rights and responsibilities
Purchases and sales including the crofters right to buy
Assignation and de-crofting applications
Croft succession
Diversification of croft and common grazing land, including for renewable energy and agri-tourism
Croft boundaries
Resolving crofting disputes

Renewable energy

Increasingly, people are looking to build renewable energy facilities on croft land. Our team includes specialists on all kinds of such projects, including wind turbines, solar, hydro-electricity schemes, battery storage and biomass. We are experienced in all types of applications to the Crofting Commission and Scottish Land Court to deal with crofting tenure to allow such projects to proceed on croft land, including resumption, schemes for development, and de-crofting.

Meet our key contacts

Stephanie Hepburn

Partner

Emma Robertson

Partner

Richard Leslie

Partner

Meet our full team

Kathryn Argo

Senior Solicitor

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Emma De Sailly

Senior Associate

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Gillian Gibbons

Director

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Ross Simpson

Senior Solicitor

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Related articles and insights: Crofting Law

26 March 2025

Notification of first registration of crofts: A “belt and braces” approach?

Contributor: Stephanie Hepburn

This article considers the Land Court’s judgment in Toms v Lambert and what it tells us about the notification requirements that apply when a croft is registered for the first time.

24 March 2025

Land Court grants declarator in dispute about the status of land on Strollamus Estate, Skye

Contributor: Stephanie Hepburn

Stephanie Hepburn acted for MacFarlane (St Helier) Corporation in a successful application to the Land Court for declarator that an area of land on Strollamus Estate in Luib, Skye, was not subject to crofting tenure and therefore the provisions of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 did not apply.

23 April 2024

A guide to resumption in the context of renewable energy developments

Contributor: Stephanie Hepburn

A landlord may apply to the Scottish Land Court for approval to resume a croft or part of a croft, or common grazings. In this guide, we look more closely at resumption and the legal test that needs to be met when making an application to the Scottish Land Court to resume all or part of a croft or common grazings.

18 April 2024

A guide to utilising schemes for developments for renewable energy projects

Contributor: Stephanie Hepburn

Since 2007, schemes for development have been available for renewable development projects on crofts or common grazings. This guide outlines the details of these schemes and highlights the necessary legal requirements when seeking approval from the Scottish Land Court.

13 November 2023

The next steps in land reform: Agriculture and climate change

Contributor: Fiona Taylor

The upcoming Agricultural and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill brings with it new changes and potential impacts on the rural, crofting, and farming community.

29 September 2023

Countryside Unites Against Rural Crime

Contributor: Hamish Lean

This article discusses the impact of criminal activity in the rural world, as outlined in the Rural Crime Report, and offers methods of prevention against such crime.

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