An East Anglian law firm has expanded its agribusiness team to create one of the largest in the country.

Birketts, which has taken on six new lawyers across its offices in Ipswich, Chelmsford, Norwich and Cambridge, says it is responding to growing demand for legal services in the sector, where turnover has increased by more than 10% in the last year.

Agricultural team head Jack Royall said: “With farmers and land managers dealing with ever bigger and more diverse businesses, what has remained constant is the value of specialist legal support, available when they need it. Very few decisions made in the sector are short term and our clients therefore appreciate the value in getting specialist advice which they can rely on.”

The region’s farming industry has undergone significant change over the last few years, including a rise in the number of larger farming units.