Simon Law is chairperson of the Society of Licensed Conveyancers and Director and Head of Legal Practice for DC Law and JS Law. He is also a director of Advantage Property Lawyers and Premier Property Lawyers. A Licensed Conveyancer since 2002, he has worked across small and large conveyancing practices and represented the profession on key industry groups. Outside work, Simon is president of Northampton Outlaws RFC and a qualified rugby coach and referee.
What was your career path to your current role?
I began my career in conveyancing in 1999 and qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer in 2002. I have worked in small, medium and large conveyancing practices and established Secure Legal Solutions in 2010, which subsequently merged with DC Law. I then moved into senior leadership and head of legal practice roles, combining technical conveyancing with responsibility for legal operations, compliance, strategy and client care. Alongside that work, I became increasingly involved with the Society of Licensed Conveyancers and now serve as its chairperson, representing licensed conveyancers across the profession.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
I did not follow a rigid career plan. I have always been drawn to roles that involve teamwork, responsibility and helping people develop, which is probably why rugby coaching and refereeing have also become such an important part of my life. Those interests have complemented rather than competed with my career in conveyancing.
What keeps you motivated in your work?
Conveyancing has a direct impact on people at important moments in their lives. I am motivated by improving the experience for clients, supporting colleagues to develop and helping the profession respond constructively to change. Through the Society, I also value the opportunity to give licensed conveyancers a strong, practical voice in discussions with government, regulators and the wider property industry.
If you could change one thing about the transaction process, what would it be?
I would create a genuinely joined-up transaction in which accurate property information is available and verified much earlier. Too much time is lost because information arrives late, is incomplete or has to be entered repeatedly by different participants. Better upfront information, common data standards and secure interoperability would reduce duplication and delay, while still preserving the conveyancer’s essential role in investigating title, advising the client and managing risk.
What has been the best development in conveyancing in the last 20 years?
The move towards digital working has been the most significant positive development. Electronic searches, online case management, digital identity tools, electronic signatures and HM Land Registry’s digital services have made transactions more accessible and efficient. They have also created better opportunities for transparency and collaboration, although the benefits depend on good implementation and reliable data.
And the worst?
The growth in fragmentation across the transaction has been deeply unhelpful. Clients often assume that everyone involved is working within one coordinated system, but conveyancers, lenders, estate agents, managing agents and public bodies can all operate to different processes and timescales. Technology has sometimes added further portals and duplication rather than removing them. That complexity contributes to delay, frustration and avoidable risk.
Do you think conveyancing will ever be fully digitalised?
Most of the process will become digital, but I do not think conveyancing will simply become an automated transaction. Property matters involve individual titles, competing interests, judgment and unexpected problems. Technology will increasingly handle data collection, verification and routine tasks, while skilled conveyancers will remain responsible for interpretation, advice, risk and accountability.
Do you think it should be?
It should be digital by default where that makes the process safer, faster and easier for the client, but not digital at any cost. Systems must be inclusive, secure and resilient, with appropriate alternatives for people who cannot use a digital route. Digitisation should remove friction and improve the quality of information, not shift responsibility, create new barriers or weaken consumer protection.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
Do not be afraid to ask questions, and never pretend to know something that you do not. Conveyancing is too important and too complex for guesswork. Asking for help early, checking the detail and learning from experienced colleagues protects the client and helps you develop far more quickly.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Learn the reasons behind the process, rather than simply learning which box to tick. Build strong technical foundations, take pride in clear communication and treat every transaction as belonging to a real person whose plans depend on your work. Find good mentors, stay curious and be willing to challenge inefficient practices, but never lose sight of professional judgment and client care.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I am president and head coach of Northampton Outlaws RFC, an inclusive rugby club in the East Midlands. I have played rugby in the USA, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland.
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