AI adoption among law firms outpaces readiness – Access Legal shares plan to close the gap
While 68% of law firms report using GenAI at least once a week – underscoring enthusiasm for its transformative potential – 37% cite integration challenges and 41% express doubts about the reliability of AI outputs, revealing a clear readiness gap in the sector. In response, Access Legal has reinforced its GenAI strategy to help firms […]
Land registration: Practice guides
Encouraging the use of digital technology in identity verification (PG81) Page summary: Information about HM Land Registry’s enhanced level of digital identity verification (practice guide 81). Change made: Section 5 has been added to explain how to use digital identity in an application. Time updated: 6:00am, 9 June 2025 Using our forms for complex and […]
What are the regulators saying about AI use in law firms?
Artificial intelligence is here, and law firms are already experimenting with it. Whether you’re exploring tools to speed up drafting, streamlining conveyancing processes, or supporting legal research, AI is rapidly becoming part of daily legal practice. But what do regulators think? Should firms be cautious? Are there set rules to follow? While the answers are […]
Experts divided over landmark case that sets out binary test to protect vulnerable borrowers
The Supreme Court has ruled a bank had a duty to investigate whether a woman was acting under the influence of her partner when the couple took out a remortgage, in a landmark case that extends protection for vulnerable people at risk of economic abuse by their partners. The ruling has divided experts, with some […]
SRA publishes over £100,000 of AML fines since start of June
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have published over £100,000 worth of fine for anti-money laundering failures since the start of June; with one firm fined nearly £80,000 alone for the failure to complete client and matter risk assessments (CMRAs) on a number of reviewed files, and failed to maintain ‘fully compliant’ policies, controls, and procedures […]
Market resilience will continue in coming months – Halifax
The resilience of the housing market in the face of affordability challenges and an uncertain economic backdrop is set to continue, according to Halifax’s head of mortgages. Commenting on the release of the Halifax House Price Index for May, Amanda Bryden said the market appears to have absorbed the surge in activity driven by changes […]
Solar panels to be fitted as standard on all new homes in ‘rooftop revolution’
The government has confirmed ‘the vast majority’ of new-build homes will be fitted with rooftop solar panels as default. Further proposals, which will be included in the Future Homes Standard to be published in the Autumn, include the installation of low-carbon heating such as heat pumps. Building regulations will be amended to explicitly promote solar […]
70% of the population denied access to Legal Aid
More than 42 million people in England and Wales, equating to nearly 70% of the population, do not have a community legal aid provider in their area according to research conducted by The Law Society. As part of the launch of its civil legal aid campaign the Law Society will publish a ‘legal aid desert’ […]
PEXA completes UK’s first fully digital purchase transaction
Digital property exchange platform PEXA has completed the UK’s first fully digital purchase transaction, with Hinckley & Rugby Building Society and Muve facilitating the milestone. Hinckley & Rugby became the first UK lender to complete a mortgage using PEXA, with Muve acting as conveyancer for both the purchaser and lender. The transaction took place as […]
SRA seeks views on proposals to strengthen client complaints procedure
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is seeking views on new proposals for dealing with client complaints, which include changing when relevant information about the process must be provided and displaying the details prominently online. Although the SRA acknowledges that satisfaction with legal service providers is high, with 82% of all first-tier complaints resolved satisfactorily, it […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – Issues with high rise flats
It seems the news has more and more reports about unsafe blocks of flats. I saw one news story over the weekend about a block where it was expected that the council would serve a notice that the residents had to leave; I saw a report last week about a block where the residents were […]
The AI-rt of the Possible
The latest podcast explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in conveyancing, focusing on its ability to enhance efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and improve risk management. Host David Opie is joined by Chris Harris, the founder of Collaborative Conveyancing, who shares insights into how AI-driven tools can streamline tasks such as document analysis, inquiry management, […]
From referral to completion: why estate agents deserve first-class service from conveyancers
For most conveyancing firms, estate agents are more than just introducers – they’re the lifeblood of the business. In fact, over 80% of instructions come via estate agents for many firms. That’s why it’s absolutely essential for conveyancers to prioritise delivering outstanding customer service to the agents they work with. At a time when buying […]