Andrew Linehan, a partner at Edinburgh-based firm Murray Beith Murray, was elected to the role at SAAVA’s AGM yesterday.

He becomes the first lawyer to hold the post since the organisation was established in 1925.

SAAVA plays a key role in Scottish agriculture, providing advice on rural land values to governments, valuers, arbiters, auctioneers, surveyors, solicitors, accountants and others.

Mr Linehan previously became the first lawyer in Scotland to pass exams for the UK-wide body, the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV), and he is also accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in agricultural law.

He had previously served two years as vice president of SAAVA, having also been legal advisor to the organisation, as well as secretary of the regional valuers’ association in the Borders.

A Dundee University graduate, Mr Linehan was raised in Melrose and spent five years in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as a tank commander in Germany and Bosnia.

He said: “I am truly honoured to have been elected the president of SAAVA, becoming the first lawyer to hold the role since its establishment a century ago. 

“This is an important moment for the agricultural sector in Scotland, with new land reform legislation on the way and changes to taxation and regulation impacting many livelihoods. 

“I am determined to represent our members and the wider industry in the most constructive way I can, delivering positive outcomes wherever possible.”

He added: “When I qualified in 2003 after leaving the Army, rural law struck me as being something that was new, cutting edge and interesting. To this day I still always find it interesting, and demand continues to grow for trusted advice, particularly amid ongoing regulatory change.”

Murray Beith Murray chairman Andrew Paterson said: “Andrew Linehan has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in rural law and his appointment as the new President of SAAVA underlines his growing status in the sector. 

“Everyone at Murray Beith Murray is delighted for Andrew and we wish him well during his presidency.”