Confessions of a cyber conveyancer – “We all make mistakes – it’s just how many”
When it comes to professional indemnity claims, residential conveyancing holds the number one spot for volume, which is why we always remind ourselves that our role is like doing an exam in which you have to get 100% right. The problem is that it’s neither possible nor commercially practicable for us to be 100% right […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
I KNOW I received that document … Given the voracity of recent discussions around forms, allegations of vested interests and the inability of technology to improve conveyancing, an outsider might think that these are the key concerns amongst property lawyers right now. Whilst there is an awful lot of energy being expended on those topics, […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
If you spend any time on LinkedIn, you’ll have probably reached the conclusion that conveyancing is riddled with factions holding increasingly polarised views. Whilst as with all things, it’s the vocal minority that are grabbing their virtual pitchforks, a number of areas do seem to have attracted particular ire. Firstly, experienced lawyers are bemoaning the […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
The previously serene waters of the conveyancing world have been experiencing a little turbulence over the last few months. There are concerns that Material Information ( MI ) is the thin end of a particularly fat wedge that undermines the lawyer, resulting in the end of proper conveyancing as we know it. Then there are […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
When it comes to understanding and measuring risk, I’ve always said that technology beats humans every day of the week. Machines don’t suffer from a bad night’s sleep, being lectured by a client for being too slow or face the wrath of the other side for daring to raise enquiries, resulting in rushed decisions. That […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
I’ve never made any secret of my opinion that the core problem in conveyancing is a lack of usable data to help lawyers make better decisions. When combined with a completely manual process of dealing with risk, this results in the almost unmanageable chaos that most property lawyers face every day. Given the increased risks […]
Confessions of a Cyber Conveyancer
Anyone reading this will agree that 2023 hasn’t been exactly what you’d call vintage for property lawyers. The hangover of recent years combined with a correction in the property market has resulted in understandable negativity, which we know from history tends to lead to people looking for someone to blame. Depressingly true to historical form, […]
Confessions Of A Cyber Conveyancer – IT and Technology
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we live in pretty judgmental times. Recent events surrounding the IT problems affecting a number of law firms have played into the hands of those who believe that technology doesn’t improve the delivery of conveyancing. I’ve read too many comments by lawyers suggesting that […]
Confessions of a Cyber Conveyancer
Ask anyone with an interest in technology how it’s going to change the lives of conveyancers and they’ll say that integration is the future. (They might also say AI but that’s a bit tricky so let’s park that thought for now.) Thing is, no-one asks what integration actually looks like and what is the problem […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
Data is the new oil. Upfront information is the silver bullet. Artificial intelligence will make everyone redundant. Spend any time on LinkedIn and having scrolled past the boxes of Roses, spaniels on office chairs and copies of illegible thank you notes – you’ll have been bombarded by many of these messages. It’s not that they […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: Good tech doesn’t mean ‘dumbing down’ conveyancing
As it was summer and everyone seemed to be on holiday, I thought I’d contact lots of lawyers and talk about how they manage enquiries. I know this might not spring to mind as the best entertainment that a wet August in England has to offer, but I had few options. Concerns were raised on […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: ‘If you’ve only got a hammer, everything looks like a nail’
You’re in the kitchen when a screw drops out of the bottom of a chair and it needs to be put back before it gets lost. Although it’s got a Philips head, you grab a sharp knife from the nearest drawer and the job is done. You know you should have gone to the garage […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: Our old friend enquiries
I was away on holiday and had one of those crystal clear dreams you have when you decompress. I dreamt I had gone back to work and the conveyancing world had changed. Artificially intelligent robots were exchanging deals in two weeks. Searches were generated automatically and came back within minutes. Finally, and most excitedly, we […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: Resisting the technological tide of change is futile
Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen a few discussions about the use of technology in conveyancing. Some have suggested that it does not make a difference and that, in their opinion, it actually makes things worse. There were some amusing discussions on LinkedIn about the benefits of paper files and even the MP for […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: ChatGPT and what it means for conveyancing
In the good old Wall Street days of “greed is good” and “lunch is for wimps”, there was a saying that “when taxi drivers start giving stock tips, you know we’re heading for a crash”. The markets, that is – not the cab, ideally. With mainstream media picking up on artificial intelligence (AI) and marketing […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer: Alan Turing, Quality Street, and AI conveyancing
Now we’re officially past the point when we should be wishing people a Happy New Year, it’s time to get back to the real world. The good news is the initial signs from the property market are that it’s nothing like the car crash that the media have been predicting. So no surprises there, then. […]
Christmas confessions of a cyber conveyancer
In my articles this year, I’ve spent most of the time explaining that despite our very best efforts, when it comes to technology, sometimes things just go wrong. Whether it’s misbehaving power supplies, software glitches or just weird stuff, one thing is clear. Technology really is a cruel mistress. That said, I’m sticking with my […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
Inefficient. Opaque. Lack of transparency. Just a few of the more polite words that people use to describe the conveyancing industry today. It’s not particularly constructive to dwell on the other less polite words, but as the owner of a law firm that exploits technology, I like to think this gives us an edge when […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
Last Friday, I’d closed the office at 1.00pm because (a) it was Friday and (b) I had a round of golf to get in. I can do this because (a) we don’t care about our clients and (b) we are fundamentally bone-idle. It’s at this point that it dawned on me that this article is […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
The other evening, I was settling down to watch the latest Ridley Scott blockbuster based loosely on reforming the Home Buying and Selling Process, (quite a niche Netflix channel I admit) when my phone pinged with an email. I tore myself away from the on-screen action and read a pretty vindictive message about us on […]
