What Does It Really Mean to Be a CEO?
What does it really mean to be a CEO? It’s a question many founders quietly wrestle with — and one that Sarah Dodd, founder of Tree Law, has recently explored publicly after five years of leading the specialist law firm. In a recent feature with Pro Arb Magazine, Sarah reflects on the mindset shift required […]
Talking to Customers About Tree Risk: Providing Clarity Without Over-Promising
Customers are increasingly proactive about property risk — particularly when trees are involved. Arborist reports, surveys, and recommendations for removal often prompt policyholders to seek reassurance about future insurance cover. These conversations can be delicate. Customers want certainty; insurers must avoid giving it prematurely. The Core Challenge When no damage has occurred, customers often ask […]
Trees Near Your Home: What Insurance Can (and Can’t) Tell You in Advance
Trees can enhance a property, but when they’re planted too close to a building — or concerns arise about their condition — they can quickly become a source of anxiety. One of the first questions homeowners often ask is whether their insurance will respond if something goes wrong. The answer, however, is rarely a simple […]
Felling Licence – Who needs one?
When Do You Need a Felling Licence? If you’re planning to cut down trees in the UK, one of the first legal questions you should ask is: do I need a felling licence? Tree felling is regulated by law, and carrying out work without the correct permission can lead to enforcement action, fines, and a […]
Subsidence: The Origin Story
The meaning of subsidence (at least in the insurance and legal context) owes far more to post-war lending practices and reputational risk than to geotechnical science. Understanding how we got here explains much of the confusion, disagreement, and litigation that still surrounds subsidence claims today. POST-WAR LENDING AND THE BIRTH OF “SUBSIDENCE” COVER During the […]
What Is a Subject Access Request (SAR) — and How Do You Make One to Your Local Authority?
A Subject Access Request (SAR) is a valuable right under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) that enables individuals to request personal information held about them by organisations, including local authorities. If you need to access records or documents held by your local authority, whether it’s regarding planning, tree preservation, housing, or any other service, making a […]
What Is a Subject Access Request (SAR) — and How Do You Make One to Your Insurance Company?
If you’re in dispute with your insurance company, feeling kept in the dark, or simply want to understand what information they hold about you, a Subject Access Request (SAR) can be a powerful (and often under-used) tool. This document explains what a SAR is, when it is useful, and how to make one properly to your insurer. WHAT IS A […]
Harpers Magazine – The Trial of the Sycamore Gap Killers
Sycamore Gap captured hearts long before its shocking felling in September 2023—but what followed was a national reckoning about how we value trees, landscapes and the law. In this thoughtful essay, writer Rosa Lyster traces the story from the night the famous sycamore was cut down through the subsequent trial, public outcry, and questions of […]
R (Smar Holdings Ltd) v Secretary of State for Environment, Foor and Rural Affairs [2025] EWCA Civ 1041
What the case was about Smar Holdings unlawfully felled trees on land in Keynsham without a felling licence, triggering a restocking notice (RSN) under s.17A Forestry Act 1967. On appeal to the Secretary of State, Smar argued: The land was proposed for housing allocation in an emerging local plan. It would be in the public […]
Rights In Rem vs Rights In Personam: Why the Difference Matters in Tree Law (and What the Newport Case Shows Us)
In tree law, words matter, sometimes more than people realise. Two phrases that seem abstract in a law textbook, in rem and in personam, become vitally important when we’re dealing with Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), enforcement, and the consequences of unlawful works. Recently, the distinction became very clear in the well-publicised Newport City Council case, where substantial unlawful works to protected trees resulted […]
