Nuffield International

In the aftermath of WWII Lord Nuffield initiated a travelling scholarship scheme for British and Empire farmers, in recognition of their contribution to feeding the nation through the war, and as a method of advancing the best agriculturalist practice around the world – the Nuffield International Farming Scholarship was born.

The members of Nuffield International participated together by a scheme set out in a code of practice. While the code of practice served members well, it was restrictive because it only allowed for decision making at a conference held every three years. Members began reviewing the international structure soon after the triennial international conference in Ireland in 2008.

Piper Alderman was proud to have provided initial pro bono advice and drafted a scoping paper to inform the international group’s decision making on the structuring options. After agreement in principle on the structuring model, Piper Alderman drafted a founding agreement and set of rules. In September 2011 at the triennial international conference held in Adelaide a final paper was presented to the governing bodies of each participating country and the structure and documentation were approved. The new arrangements replace the code of practice with an agreement that creates an international presence for Nuffield and a structure for ongoing administration and governing membership.

What our client said

“Piper Alderman assisted us through a complex process that required development of a scoping paper, through to negotiating an arrangement acceptable to all participating countries. It required an understanding of structures suitable for a diverse international organisation, through to the practical and workable arrangements required to run such an organisation. Our experience demonstrates that Piper Alderman is a world class firm, and our organisation is most grateful for the assistance and guidance we received.”