Why excitement around new towns will only go so far when helping deliver government’s housing target
March 2026 saw the government announce the proposed construction of seven new towns which could help deliver a quarter of a million homes. It’s hoped the fresh settlements will secure a large portion of the 1.5 million homes target promised before the conclusion of the current parliament. Knights planning lawyer Hannah Smith shares her thoughts […]
Beyond paper and portals: What digital conveyancing really means for modern law firms
As the rush to adopt AI solutions in the legal sector gathers pace, Ben Mills, commercial director at legal tech company Minerva, explains why the customer experience should lead the way when it comes to deciding the tools to deploy. Digital conveyancing has been a fixture of the legal sector for well over a […]
Making legal technology work harder for law firms
Are law firms making the most of their technology investment? Most businesses only use a fraction of the capability of their existing technology, underestimating what platforms such as Microsoft 365 or their case management systems can already do. As a result, firms often purchase overlapping software that performs similar functions, increasing cost and complexity without […]
What does agentic diligence actually look like?
Ed Molyneux has spent recent weeks explaining what AI can do, where it fails, and why provenance and shared data matter. Now he walks through a day in the life of a buyer’s conveyancer working with an AI agent on a live transaction — and invites the profession to consider what changes and what stays […]
I recently met a contented conveyancer
Rob Hailstone recounts an experience with a contented conveyancer, and learns that an earlier instruction can go a long way when it comes to keeping the professionals happy. A few days ago, I was invited to the head office of a major lender, an eye-opening experience, though that’s a story for another time. Since […]
Why tmGroup is backing the National Property Transaction Network
As digital transformation begins to pick up pace, with high street lenders Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest both announcing digital transaction milestones in recent weeks, property technology provider tmGroup explains why it’s getting behind an industry initiative to standardise data. The announcement last week that Lloyds Banking Group, Connells Group and LMS have launched […]
SRA must ‘regain the trust’ of the profession and get back to the basics of regulation says new CEO
New Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) chief executive Sarah Rapson says the organisation needs to “regain the trust of solicitors, law firms and the wider public”. In a statement published on the SRA website, Rapson said the message is clear from the profession that the regulator is not getting the “basics of good regulation right” and […]
Tax adviser status: What do conveyancers need to know?
What do conveyancers need to know about the pending requirements for those “interacting” with HMRC to register as tax advisers? To take a deep dive into the issue the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast welcomes Ian Quayle, CEO of IQ Legal Training, and Ryan Hannah, Managing Director of Compass. With the registration window opening imminently and clarity […]
Why conveyancing needs a shared system of record
Residential property transactions still run on fragmented documents, duplicated updates and too many competing versions of the truth. The next step forward is not just better workflow, but a trusted shared data foundation that can support clearer collaboration, better judgement and more useful AI. Conveyancing has a truth problem. Not because people are careless or […]
The judgment line
In the fourth of his weekly series, Ed Molyneux introduces the concept that should shape how every conveyancing firm thinks about AI: the judgment line, and which side of it your work falls on. Over the past three weeks I have written about what AI can do, where it fails, and why provenance is the […]
When is a conveyancer a tax adviser? Scope, proportionality and the Finance (No. 2) Bill
Joy Bassett explores the scope of the Finance (No.2) Bill and whether the legislative definition meets policy objectives, and suggests viable alternatives to a catch-all ‘tax adviser’ category. The Finance (No. 2) Bill proposes a mandatory registration regime for those defined as tax advisers interacting with HMRC on behalf of clients. The policy objective […]
Four profit killers I see in high street firms – and what to do about them
Brand and marketing specialist Damian Reed sets out the simple mistakes high street law firms make when it comes to marketing, and explains how to rectify them. I visit a lot of law firms. As head of brand and marketing at QualitySolicitors, it comes with the territory, and I genuinely love it. There is something […]
Why ‘AI says so’ isn’t good enough
In the third of his weekly series, Ed Molyneux explains why provenance – knowing where data came from and how conclusions were reached – is the difference between AI that helps your practice and AI that threatens it. Last week I wrote about where AI excels and where it fails in conveyancing. The response […]
What AI can and can’t do with your case files
In the second of his weekly series, Ed Molyneux gets specific about where AI excels and where it fails in conveyancing — and why understanding the difference is the key to using it safely. Last week I introduced the “jagged frontier” of AI capability; the idea that these systems are superhuman at some tasks and […]
How PropTech could connect transactions of the future
The future of digital property transactions is closer than many think. Here, Nick Dyoss, group business development and relationships Director at Landmark, explains how national digitisation, trusted data frameworks and new infrastructure could deliver a faster, more certain and more connected market for everyone in the near-term future. The UK property market is undergoing […]
Understanding complaints and early resolution opportunities
The latest episode of the Today’s Conveyancer podcast welcomes Senior Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) Clair Daniel to explore the current landscape of legal complaints handling, the challenges facing firms, and the strategic work underway to improve first‑tier resolution across the legal sector. The backdrop to the discussion is the increase in the number […]
Beyond reform: What conveyancers actually want in 2026
Conveyancers aren’t resistant to change, says Julie Williams, head of service delivery at Complete ASAP – they’re just tired of hearing the same conversations without seeing any positive action. In National Conveyancing Month, Julie shares a reminder that behind every transaction are professionals navigating complex regulation, economic pressures and evolving client expectations. At a […]
Profile: Ryan Hannah, CEO of Compass
Ryan Hannah is the founder and CEO of Compass, the UK’s only fully indemnified SDLT assessment and calculation platform. He built Compass to address systemic inaccuracy in Stamp Duty Land Tax, ensuring purchasers pay exactly what they owe under the law, no more and no less. What was your career path to your current role? […]
Profile: Kevin Tunnicliffe, CEO and founder of Sort Group
Kev Tunnicliffe is CEO and founder of Sort Group (SortRefer and Sort Legal), a technology led property services provider focused on improving the home moving journey for brokers, conveyancers and consumers. With more than 35 years in the property industry, Kev launched SortRefer in 2009 to bring better collaboration, data and technology to the conveyancing […]
What can be done about post-exchange fall throughs?
Property transaction fall throughs is the topic of the latest Today’s Conveyancer podcast; specifically how to tackle situations when there is an issue between exchange and completion. Although admittedly rare, the consequences can be chastening; and this was certainly the case for the sister of former director of FTSE 100 wealth‑management business St James’s Place […]