A panel management provider has launched it’s own conveyancing arm in response to what it describes as a “worrying shortage of firms willing to commit to delivering a market-leading service.”
Elite Conveyancing started life as a conveyancing panel manager which introduced strict protocols designed to encourage firms to work more closely, thereby reducing timescales and improving the client journey.
Six years on, Elite Conveyancing has launched its own law firm. Carl Brignell, CEO of Elite Conveyancing explains
“Our sole aim has always been to deliver the best service within the marketplace, I knew that once we achieved the service then market share and profitability would naturally follow. Other providers within the industry I’m sure all share the same aims although arguably in a different order and this is why the conveyancing industry is in the state that it is today.”
“In all honesty the law firm was never part of our original business plan but has been born out of sheer frustration from the lack of other law firms willing to commit providing a true service-focused conveyancing model, to protect their lawyers from taking on too much work, and to recognize and reward their conveyancing lawyers for the amazing work they do.”
According to Mr Brignell Elite Conveyancing’s new law firm has been set up to allow all of their lawyers to work remotely with a centralised administration team on hand to provide full support behind the scenes. It has adopted a digital first approach and employs a strict capacity management strategy to ensure the “Elite” service remains sustainable.
Tricia Lonorgan, COO of Elite Conveyancing commented
“Sustainability has always been the biggest challenge within conveyancing. There are two main ways that conveyancing firms look to increase profits; either reducing costs by employing cheaper, less qualified lawyers or by adding more workloads onto their existing lawyers. Both will have a detrimental impact upon service. It is a shame therefore to now see these tactics being introduced by some of the smaller, traditional law firms.”
“One common tactic that we have seen impact service is where a good lawyer is suddenly promoted, given a new job title and provided a ‘team’. Needless to say that expectations upon these individuals to generate even more money for the firm is then far greater. We find that what made that lawyer great in the first instance is eventually diluted and lost, until finally they end up providing the same average service as everybody else, or worse still they break.”
Adds Brignell
“We have deliberately built a very lean business model, without any excessive or unnecessary overheads. This in turn allows us to attract and reward the very best conveyancing lawyers.”
“Our lawyers are our biggest assets and wholly representative of our service, so it was important to have their welfare and wellbeing central to the firm and for them to share in its future success.”
8 Responses
Actually Mr Brignell I think you’ll find your customers are your biggest asset.
Once again like many thousands before it we have a conveyancing ‘disruptor’ waffling on about proving wonderful service without defining what it is.
When will the day come that this sector of the process actually manage to define, in written form, in a manner the public can fathom, what good service actually is?
Let’s have one of you write an article from a client’s perspective, on what true ‘cradle to grave’ service actually is.
A definition of service that leads to clients having a perfect experience.
I won’t hold my breath
Matt,
Your comments never get old or predictable.
Thank you for your business advice.
You sound like a lot of fun and I can only imagine that its a laugh a minute working with you?!
I didn’t offer business advice.
I made a request.
Carl,
Why not be the first to do it?
(Genuine q)
Do what nobody else is brave enough to do, honest enough to do or for many capable enough to do.
I don’t know you, but if you fancy shaking things up, be the first to define what gorgeous service feels and looks like from the public’s perspective.
As I always say to these people who think they can rock the conveyancing world with new thinking and procedures, come back in 3 or 4 years and we’ll see how you’ve got on, given the low fees and mountain of work involved in the average conveyancing transaction. It’s easy to clamour for change from the sidelines.
Very much this
We’ve been trading for 6 years Gillian?!
Well done and the best of luck. We set up with congruent values and admittedly the SDLT placed us under enormous pressure yet we remain grounded in the service we provide. Great to see you challenging the market and the expected experience.