What lies beneath the title? Understanding mineral ownership and responsibility
A registered title can look reassuringly complete – until you ask what sits underneath, or even above it. Surface ownership and mineral ownership are not always the same thing. Mines and minerals may have been carved our decades or even centuries ago and left in the hands of a former landowner, a lord of the […]
Types of digital signatures: your firm’s needs and appetite for risk
Searching for the different types of digital signatures? You might be wondering which is best for your needs, or you may well be trying to differentiate the three recognised levels of electronic signature: Simple electronic signatures Advanced electronic signatures Qualified electronic signatures Each provides a different level of assurance about the person signing a document, […]
Beyond ID: building a clearer picture of client risk
Verifying a client’s identity is an essential first step, but it only provides part of the picture when it comes to understanding client and matter risk. As compliance expectations continue to evolve, law firms need to bring together ID Verification, AML screening, Source of Funds and Source of Wealth checks, and Risk Assessments to build […]
Experts urge law firms to avoid “automating chaos” through fragmented AI use
Experts across the conveyancing industry are warning the profession that the benefits of AI will be undermined if firms rush to adopt it without sufficient strategies in place, following discussions at this year’s Digital Conveyancing Summit held last week. The biennial event, hosted by leading end-to-end digital conveyancing platform InfoTrack, brought together almost 500 lawyers […]
‘No silver bullet’: Commission calls for change to tackle housing crisis
A UK housing commission has laid out new plans to tackle two issues reportedly at the centre of the housebuilding “crisis”. The Prosper UK Housing Commission, led by former housing minister Gavin Barwell, has launched a blueprint to address declining housing demand and housebuilding viability, after an investigation found regulatory fees and taxes are preventing […]
Law Society Property Conference 2026 round-up
The Law Society Property Conference in Chancery Lane, London, brought together leading industry voices to discuss issues including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, updates to the National Conveyancing Protocol and the government’s planned home buying reforms. Outgoing Society president Mark Evans took the opportunity to say goodbye. “This is my last opportunity to address you […]
Legal sector charities unite to champion mental health and wellbeing
The Law Society has announced a collaboration with LawCare, The Solicitors’ Charity and the Mindful Business Charter as part of efforts to improve mental health and wellbeing across the profession. It is hoped, said the Law Society, The Solicitor Wellbeing Alliance will make it easier for solicitors and firms to find and access the right […]
Avoidable requisitions continue to fall as we work together
Avoidable requisitions have fallen by more than 47% since 2022. In the first of two blogs, we look at what the latest data tells us, how HM Land Registry and its customers are working together and why the progress is not simply the result of fewer applications. At a glance Around 400,000 fewer avoidable […]