This week was National Conveyancing Week – a movement to invest in and celebrate the talent and dedication of the country’s conveyancers.
Why is this important?
Between June 2020-2021 alone, the UK home move transactions were above 450,000. The residential property sector is one of the major contributors to the construction sector, with the UK housing stock hitting a record high of £8.7tn in 2022.
To ensure the industry keeps moving, we must invest in the future of conveyancing – people, talent, and technologies so that home movers can experience efficiencies in fees and excellent customer service.
This week, we spoke to some of our team posing some questions so that they can share their own insights.
What made you choose a career in conveyancing?
“I once had a conversation with a senior barrister who advised that the area of law is not chosen by you but the area of law chooses you and so right they were. 17 years ago I stepped into my first role as an office junior in a conveyancing practice and I have not looked back since. I have worked hard and progressed to where I am now.” – Adrienne Steatham, Business Development & Conveyancing Project Manager
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in joining the conveyancing industry?
“Do it! Not only will you gain legal and technical experience but you will also gain customer service and relationship-building skills too. You will never be bored, there is always something to do and the end result is extremely rewarding.” – Sian Jones, New Build Manager
Who in the industry inspires you?
“Sian Jones and Aash Dhand – I have worked closely alongside these 2 for almost 7 years now and their ambition and dedication to the firm always inspire me to be at my best and improve my own skill set as much as I can. The compassion and understanding they have for staff make me want to strive to be an amazing support system and role model for my team.” – Ashleigh Murphy, Licensed Conveyancer & Assistant New Build Team Manager
What are the challenges you and your team face on a day-to-day basis and how do you work together to overcome them?
“Buying a house is one of the most stressful things you can do in life. Our clients are so desperate to be in their new home and for the journey to run smoothly. There are things that can go wrong but it’s our job to ensure that doesn’t happen. It really helped when we recently developed a Client Relationship Team, headed up by my colleague Ella Boothroyd. Their job is to act as the clients “buddy” and guide them through the journey, separately from the legal team. They will provide outbound calls at key points in the process to ensure our clients understand everything and are not overwhelmed. Our online reviews and and internal client perception ratings have increased since we started providing this service, so it really seems to be working!” – Sian Jones, New Build Manager
What is the best part about being a conveyancer? / BD / Senior Manager in Conveyancing?
“The best part about working in Conveyancing and Business Development is the relationships which you create throughout the whole of the transaction. This could be with developers, estate agents, mortgage brokers or other solicitors. The conversations had between these parties are the reason that the industry has evolved as much as it has. Working in conveyancing is rewarding by providing clients with 5* service and helping them to achieve their dream by working closely with the relationships created over the years and understanding that we are all in it together and working together will only ensure a smoother transaction.” – Adrienne Steatham, Business Development & Conveyancing Project Manager