Judge Spotlight: Lucy Morrison
Judging awards ceremonies can often be a thankless task. But without the support of the people who spend hours toiling away reviewing the submissions, the awards simply would not happen.
On behalf of Today’s Conveyancer and Headline Sponsor Dye & Durham, we are incredibly grateful to all our judging panel who we are showcasing through this short series of articles in the run up to The British Conveyancing Awards 2022.
If the 2021 ceremony was about recognising all those in the industry who have helped people move home during the most challenging year the conveyancing industry has perhaps ever seen, the focus for the 2022 ceremony is on where the industry is going.
Against a backdrop of a flatter market, increasing on and offline fraud risks, PII, the balance of flexible working and continued digitisation practitioners face new and evolving challenges.
So how do we set about judging an industry which is now looking ahead to what 2022 and beyond brings? It was a question we put to Lucy Morrison as they prepare to assess the submissions.
First of all, tell us who you are and what you do.
I have recently joined Hedges Law as Head of Client Services. Prior to that I was Managing Director at Central Law Training (and before that I was a solicitor!)
Why did you choose to support The British Conveyancing Awards (again) in 2022?
The Awards were a great experience in 2021 – the quality of entries was high and the event was well-organised and it was fun to be part of. I’m really hoping I might get to see some of my fellow judges face to face this year!
What do you think the biggest challenges and opportunities are for conveyancers in 2022 and beyond?
Conveyancers have had a really tough couple of years, starting with the practical obstacles to moving that lockdown created, through the difficulties of furlough and then on to the SDLT holiday with all the pressures that brought. I hope that 2022 will bring a slightly smoother ride and that they will have more time to develop and enhance new technologies and working practices that they were bounced into at short notice. I think we will be seeing more new entrants to the market so competition is likely to increase and conveyancers will need to find ways to differentiate their service.
In your day to day role, what have you seen from law firms that has stood out for you in terms of innovation or adaptation in the “new normal?”
The fact that we have all been physically separated has meant a focus on designing and implementing workflows and systems that aid communication and collaboration and I think we have made huge strides forward in this.
Why do you think firms should enter the British Conveyancing Awards?
The Awards are a great way to celebrate success and showcase talent in your own team and also to bring together the wider community of conveyancers. It’s rare that we’re able to get together just for social and networking purposes and lovely to be able to step out of the day to day and have some fun.
Which of this years categories stand out for you and why?
I’m really looking forward to finding out more about the customer services champions in the conveyancing industry. I’m also keen to see how firms are creating a healthy working environment for staff.
What are you looking for in the submissions and what differentiates a winning entry from the rest?
I’m looking for authenticity and to get a real sense of the person behind the entry. Last year we saw some great video submissions which were a lovely way for entrants to speak to the judges directly and they left a real impression.
Thank you to Lucy Morrison for their support for The British Conveyancing Awards 2022.
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