Hugh specialises in acting for clients on a wide range of private-client-related property matters. He acts for private clients, landed estates and institutional clients in relation to all aspects of property law and has particular expertise in guiding clients through the process of both buying and selling country houses, London property, sporting estates, farms, and agricultural land. Hugh also has a wealth of experience in the equine and bloodstock sector, having acted frequently in the sale and purchase of equine property.
Expertise
- Real estate
- Residential property
- Agriculture and landed estates
- Heritage property
- Buying and selling estates and rural property
- Agricultural, commercial and residential leases
- Private wealth
- Charities
- Equine and bloodstock
Experience
Property
- Acted on the sale of a sporting estate with two ownership structures, shooting and fishing rights, tenancies, environmental schemes and entitlements.
- Acted on the sale of a grouse moor with associated employment and corporate advice.
- Acted on the purchase of a large Oxfordshire estate with a complex title, private water supplies and complex planning issues.
- Acted for the purchaser of a racehorse training yard and on transactions involving stud farms.
- Acted in the high value sale of an eco-friendly prime central London to a high profile individual.
- Acted on the high-value purchase of a residential property in Godalming, Surrey in a very tight timescale.
- Advised on the high-value sale of a significant central London property on Hyde Park Gate.
- Acted on a substantial purchase of a residential property in Oxford for a long-standing, well-known media client.
- Advised client on a significant transaction of a large property in a very popular London Square. The property consists of the main house and a mews house. There was a particular complication as client wanted to proceed to exchange contracts prior to the Grant of Probate of the deceased US seller
Agricultural
- Acted on the purchase of a property (main house and farm) for £4 million.
- Acted on the sale of an estate which included several hundred acres of farmland let on FBTs and grazing licences, for £5 million.
- Acted on the purchase of a farm for £2 million.
- Acted on the purchase of an estate which include hundreds of acres of agricultural land, for £16 million.
- Acted on the purchase of a farm which included hundreds of acres of agricultural land for £2 million.
- Provided agricultural and commercial advice to client relating to the planting, growing, and harvesting of English willow for cricket bat production.
- Advised on the off-market purchase of a large farm with particular issues with occupiers, the water supply and grant schemes, as well as being the neighbouring farm to the client’s existing farm.
- Advised on the purchase of a substantial country house . Various issues arose during the transaction relating to planning, private drainage, and access, as well as exchanging the contracts in a tight timeframe.
- Advised on the purchase which included employment advice,and company advice of a mixed estate consisting of a large Listed house, 3 other residential dwellings, commercial let units, and fishing over a very well-known and important part of the River Test.
- Advised client on the purchase of a Hall. The purchase was of a substantial country house, which had been divided into flats, and extensive gardens and grounds
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by the Legal 500 2025 for Agriculture and estates
“Hugh Murphy is very professional and he is also very pleasant to talk to. He takes time to explain things thoroughly. Hugh would also contact us outside normal working hours and weekends if there was something important to be dealt with or a deadline to be met.” The Legal 500 2025
Recognised in The Spear’s Property Advisers Index as a Top Recommended Lawyer (2020-2024)
Recognised in Chambers High Net Worth for Real Estate: High Value Residential (2021-2024)
“He does a mix of London and rural work and is really good at it. I do love working with him.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
“Hugh is a highly polished individual with excellent competence and communication.” Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Residential Property (2022-2025)
“Hugh Murphy is an extremely experienced residential property lawyer, who is user-friendly and brings a can do attitude to any scenario.” The Legal 500 2024
“Hugh Murphy is always readily available to discuss issues and offer solutions before delivering sound professional advice to our mutual clients with a pragmatic and human touch.” The Legal 500 2024
“Hugh Murphy’s team continues to deliver an unrivalled personal and professional service in the upper end of the residential and agricultural property market.” The Legal 500 2024
“Hugh is a trusted adviser for his clients. He has a calm voice and is extremely knowledgeable in this area.” Chambers High Net Worth 2023
“An excellent team, our clients’ go-to residential and agricultural lawyers. We principally deal with Hugh Murphy. Hugh is efficient, knowledgeable, personable and accessible.” The Legal 500 2023
“Hugh Murphy has stand out execution skills whilst remaining exceptionally thorough on the detail.” The Legal 500 2022
Recognised in Chambers High Net Worth 2021 and 2022 for Real Estate: High Value Residential
“Extremely efficient [and] a pleasure to deal with. He makes difficult situations pleasurable, is proactive and sensible in his advice.” Chambers High Net Worth 2022
Hugh Murphy of Keystone Law “operates with uncompromising efficiency and professionalism.” Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“He is always on the ball. The good thing about him is that he has so much experience and he makes such a stressful moment in your life much easier.” Chambers High Net Worth 2021
“Hugh Murphy is always contactable and you get to speak with a partner rather than one of the team. He takes a sensible approach to problem-solving rather than problem-finding.” The Legal 500 2021
Career
Hugh qualified as a solicitor in 2006. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2017, he worked at the following firms:
- Bond Dickinson
- Charles Russell