Temporary recruitment page launched for those affected by PM Law closure
Today’s Conveyancer has launched a temporary recruitment page to list conveyancing roles for those affected by the closure of PM Law and its subsidiaries. The Sheffield-based firm closed on Monday leaving its 650 staff seeking new employment. Speaking to Today’s Conveyancer, employees explained they were told not to come into the office on Monday, or […]
Client account consultation deadline extended
The deadline to have your say on the Ministry of Justice’s plans to use lawyer’s client account interest to fund access to justice has been extended by four weeks to 9th March, from 9th February. The MoJ has signalled it could target interest on client accounts in its recent client money consultations, describing the potential […]
New InfoTrack tool enables conveyancers to collaborate on pre-contract enquiries
A new tool launched today by InfoTrack UK will enable conveyancers acting for both parties in a transaction to collaborate on pre-contract enquiries in a single, shared workspace. The purpose-built feature in the Linked Enquiries software will allow both sides to join the workspace, eliminating the need for manual copying and pasting and reducing duplication. […]
Conveyancers encouraged by OPDA to help shape smart property data market
The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) is calling on conveyancers to get involved with shaping the transition to a smart property data market. The call comes as work gets underway on the Smart Property Data Trust Framework sandbox, a government-backed project designed to test the technical, governance and security foundations needed for a “modern, data-centric […]
Female lawyers form network to ‘overcome challenges and help next generation’
Four law firm leaders have come together to form a network which aims to bring ambitious women together to connect, share insight and support each other. Female Leaders Network has been described by its co-founders as “not another networking group where business cards are swapped and masks stay on”. Instead, the fledgling group is designed […]
Confidence continues as Nationwide report reveals improvement in affordability
The latest house price index from Nationwide indicates the positive start to the year continues into February, with improved affordability underpinning demand across the UK. House price growth edged higher in the first month of 2026, up 1% annually and 0.3% month on month. Although market activity decreased slightly at the end of 2025, the […]
Silence from Sheffield firm following widespread office closures
A Sheffield law firm and its subsidiaries appears to ceased trading with notices placed on office doors and former employees taking to social media to advise of their availability for work. In a widely shared image on social media Butterworths Solicitors in Carlisle placed a notice on its front door on the morning of 2nd […]
Research reveals property transactions now averaging 123 days
A new report reveals that property transactions took longer in 2025 than the previous year, with instruction-to-completion times averaging over 17 weeks (123 days). The report, An industry aligned: Moving towards certainty, underlines that this equates to an 18% increase since 2019 and a 64% increase since 2007. Consumers say that their ideal time from […]
Smith & Co incorporates Adept Legal to strengthen Suffolk presence
Female-led law firm Smith & Co has strengthened its presence across Suffolk with the incorporation of Adept Legal, bringing the two teams together to enhance legal services across the region. Adept Legal will now fall under the Smith & Co Solicitors banner to boost its conveyancing offering and private client offering. The firm now boasts […]
UK Finance drops plans to charge conveyancers for using Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
UK Finance will no longer proceed with plans to charge conveyancers £50 to access the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook, following a widespread backlash from the industry and what conveyancing bodies said were “frantic” behind-the-scenes discussions. “Following further engagement with our members and users of the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook, we have decided to retain the current approach […]
COMMENT: Blink and you missed it – the UK Finance recalibration
After more than half a century working in the world of conveyancing, last week has to rank among the most frantic and frankly, one of the strangest I can remember. On Tuesday morning, I was minding my own business and carrying out my usual work on behalf of the Bold Legal Group membership when a […]
Housing transactions end the year on a high, ‘demand set to increase’
HMRC’s residential property transactions for December were 5% higher than the previous year on a seasonally adjusted basis, at 100,440. The non-seasonally adjusted estimate was up by 7% to 105,730 year-on-year, and 1% higher than November 2025. Monthly transaction levels have remained stable since summer last year, with the first half of the year affected […]
Property sector reacts to draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill
The government released its draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill last week, and the property industry has shared some very mixed reactions. The government said the bill is a “game-changing shake up” of the leasehold system – but some housing market experts disagree. Yesterday, Today’s Conveyancer shared reactions from conveyancing bodies and leasehold campaigners. While […]
Use of AI is ‘affecting judgement of junior lawyers’
The use of AI in legal work is increasing the speed at which junior lawyers work, but has “significant implications” on how they learn and develop legal judgement, new research suggests. The findings from LexisNexis Legal & Professional reveal more than half (58%) of the 863 legal professionals surveyed who use AI tools said they […]
LawCare’s free webinar will share tips on dealing with anxiety
This Thursday, LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, is running a free webinar offering practical ways to cope with anxiety. The webinar is being staged as part of Time to Talk Day on 5 February, which encourages legal professionals to talk openly and honestly about mental health in the workplace. Anxiety remains […]
LSB interim report criticises regulators for ‘varied clarity and detail’ in Mazur advice
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has criticised the response of regulators to the questions raised by Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, and the potential impact of the case on litigation work conducted by unqualified professionals. In an interim report published this week following the LSB’s review, announced in October, the super-regulator said the response […]
Transaction times could be halved without the need for government or regulatory intervention, report finds
A new report estimates property transaction timescales could be drastically reduced without the need for major home buying and selling reform or legislative change. The current timescales of 126 days from mortgage application to completion could be halved, the Future Property Transaction (FPT) Group suggests, if the market were able to operate at the speed […]
Conveyancers coming back? Licence renewals suggest so
There could be more conveyancers coming into the profession than leaving, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) suggested at their latest Futures Roundtable. Figures revealed at the event showed more people qualifying and fewer leaving the profession in 2025. The exodus from the profession has been widely reported: according to data from the Law Society, […]
Raising deposit still major obstacle for FTBs, SDLT objections increase – BSA
The Building Societies Association’s (BSA) latest Property Tracker survey shows that the barriers preventing people from buying a home remain financial rather than attitudinal. A survey of 2,000 adults carried out in January 2026 identified the three main obstacles as raising a deposit (64%), affording monthly mortgage repayments (50%) and access to a large enough […]
UK Finance responds to criticism of lender handbook changes
UK Finance has responded to widespread criticism of its decision to introduce a fee for conveyancers to access its new Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook platform, along with changes to its registration system. In response to a request from Today’s Conveyancer, a UK Finance spokesperson said: “The UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook supports the conveyancing profession throughout […]