Today's Conveyancer Podcast

Today's Conveyancer
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The Today's Conveyancer Podcast introduces listeners to the wide array of individuals and organisations who contribute to the success of the conveyancing industry. With a mix of business and industry insight, innovation, and knowledge sharing, the podcast is a "must-listen" for property professionals.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    How do law firms choose the right technology for their business?

    With the growth and consolidation within legal technology it can be a minefield for firms to navigate how to choose the best technology for their business which both serves them now and supports with their future plans.  Even experienced professionals can find the balance between investment, efficiency and compliance challenging. Its a topic on which Cathy Kirby and David Baskerville, legal technology consultants from Baskerville Drummond LLP are well placed to provide their expert insight as the latest Today's Conveyancer Podcast unpacks the complexities of legal tech, infrastructure, and strategic planning for law firms navigating digital transformation. The discussion explores how law firms often underutilise their existing technology, likening it to using only 5% of Microsoft Word’s capabilities. Cathy and David stress the importance of understanding infrastructure readiness, data governance, and internal processes before adopting new tools or AI solutions. They highlight the challenges of integrating systems across departments with differing workflows, and the resurgence of “best of breed” strategies as firms seek more specialised solutions. The conversation also covers the limitations of APIs, the risks of data leakage, and the importance of knowing where master records reside. One topic they are both unequivocal on is cybersecurity, urging firms to prioritise due diligence, supplier audits, and accreditations like Cyber Essentials and ISO. They note increasing pressure from insurers and regulators, and the growing role of these standards in tenders and M&A activity. The episode closes with a powerful reminder: law firms must invest in their IT teams. Cathy and David advocate for mentoring, training, and realistic expectations - emphasising that no single IT manager can be expert in everything from security to strategy. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    36 min

  2. 1 NOV

    What are PEXA's plans in the UK?

    David Opie, host of the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast, welcomes back PEXA UK for a timely update. Since first joining the podcast nearly two years ago much has changed both for PEXA and in the property market.  Joining him is Angela Hesketh, PEXA's Head of Market Development, who shares insights into PEXA’s journey since arriving on UK shores some five years ago.  The conversation revisits PEXA’s Australian origins, where it handles 92% of property transactions. Angela clarifies that while the UK system shares similarities, PEXA UK has built its infrastructure from scratch to suit local needs. A payments scheme operating from within the Bank of England, PEXA started out in remortgage, recently surpassing £200m in processed payments.  With the property market undergoing significant digitisation PEXA anticipate its recently launched sale and purchase proposition will play it part in supporting the transformation of the sector.  There are lots of questions to answer is this another example of a network needing all participants engaged to benefit?what happens to client account and interest?where does PEXA fit with other industry initiatives like the Property Data Trust Framework; the and technology solutions already launched from Zoopla and LMS?how much does the digitisation of HM Land Registry drive (or hold back) solutions like PEXA?and much more.  Angela highlights the importance of building the “plumbing” first which for PEXA includes FCA approval for its third party managed accounts (TPMA) solution. PEXA Pay, a key innovation, enables direct movement of lender funds without routing through client accounts. Angela explains how this reduces risk and improves transparency, especially as the UK explores alternatives to traditional client account models. The discussion covers innovation, digitisation, technology and the future of conveyancing as Angela shares her experience both in her role at PEXA and as a former conveyancer herself. Ahead of Fraud Awareness Week PEXA are hosting a series of webinars designed to help educate the sector on the evolving risks of fraud posed to property. PEXA is bringing together industry experts to explore how conveyancers can ‘build confidence through stronger processes, tools, and a secure digital experience’. Speakers from the CLC, Credas, Ctrl-Shift, Dutton Gregory, DSIT, Select ID, National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, Marsh, Muve and SRA will discuss the latest developments in cybercrime, digital identity, insurance, and how to improve efficiency while reducing fraud exposure. CLICK HERE to find out more register your attendance. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    40 min

  3. 25 OCT

    Property trends and Project 28

    In the latest, shorter episode of the Today’s Conveyancer podcast, host David Opie is joined by Rob Gurney, Managing Director at Ochresoft, and Ben Robinson, Managing Director at Landmark Estate Agency Services, to discuss the latest statistics to come out of the quarterly Property Trends Report.  But there's not much to say... the property market is subdued. Despite a “return to normality” following the spring’s SDLT disruptions there has been little sign of the traditional end of Summer bounce. Instructions in July and September were steady at 98% compared with the previous year, while August dipped to 87%. Completions followed suit, although a spike in September’s said more about the weak 2024 market that genuine recovery. Bringing the estate agency view to proceedings, Ben Robinson highlights a record level of price reductions, with some areas seeing more cuts than listings. Supply and demand have both declined, suggesting a shared hesitancy among buyers and sellers. Speculative movers are holding back, wary of potential changes in stamp duty and broader economic uncertainty ahead of the budget.  So the conversation instead turns to a new industry charter aiming to reduce transaction times to 28 days. Project 28 isn’t about technology - it’s about behavioural change. Early instruction of the seller’s conveyancer and trusted upfront data are key commitments. The goal is to improve certainty, reduce fall-throughs, and lift the entire sector. And where individual elements of the sector have little macroeconomic impact, initiatives like Project 28 offer a practical path forward. In a market defined by caution, collaboration and early action may be the key to unlocking progress. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    15 min

  4. 18 OCT

    What can be done to improve mental health and wellbeing in legal services?

    As more than half of lawyers say they anticipate leaving their role within the next five years because of poor mental health and wellbeing, the latest Today's Conveyancer Podcast tackles the issue head on with a wide ranging discussion on what organisations can do to protect their staff.  Joining the podcast are Trish McLellan and Niamh Warnock of LawCare; a mental health and wellbeing charity focused on the legal services sector. It has published the results of its survey into the wellbeing of those working across legal services; with concerning results.  Alongside the half of lawyers who said they anticipates leaving their role in the next 5 years, a third said they anticipated leaving the legal sector completely. The normalisation of overworking plays a sizeable role in high levels of burnout and anxiety undermining mental health and wellbeing. 79% of respondents said they regularly work beyond their contracted hours, with nearly 10% saying they worked 21 or more hours. Half of respondents said they had experienced anxiety either often, very often, or all of the time over the last 12 months. All of which suggests the sector faces a 'turning point' with both Trish and Niamh keen to point out there are things organisations can do proactively to support staff and tackle the nearly two thirds of workers who consider their mental health to be ‘poor’. "What’s needed is strong leadership and the commitment to put them in place" said LawCare CEO Elizabeth Rimmer.  There are clear, practical steps that can be taken right now and outlined in the report that lead to a healthier sector, including actively managing workloads to prevent burnout, embedding flexible and hybrid working practices that recognise and support diverse needs and evaluating workplace mental health and wellbeing initiatives to ensure they deliver real impact - equipping people coming into the profession to help them have a sustainable career in law.  The case has been made; we don’t need more evidence. It is time to move on from discussing the problems to implementing solutions.  Read Life in the Law 2025 here on the LawCare website.  The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    36 min

  5. 13 OCT

    TA6 Sixth Edition launched; what's in it for conveyancers?

    After the furore of the fifth edition of the TA6 property information protocol form, the Law Society launched a consultation which informed its approach to a further updated TA6 form.  In this podcast Sarah Sargent, explains and explores some of the output of the consultation and how it informed the working party's approach to the updated 6th edition launched this week.  Sargent, Head of Residential Conveyancing at Flint Bishop, is an experienced conveyancer with over 20 years in residential property and joined the Law Society’s working group in late 2024 after the backlash to the 5th edition. She explains how her commitment to improving upfront information in property transactions motivated her to contribute to the revision process. The 6th edition, she notes, is the product of nearly a year of weekly meetings, each lasting up to two hours, involving deep analysis of member feedback, consultation data, and practical conveyancing experience. The committee exhaustively reviewed the 1,000 responses to the consultation from conveyancer members which offered measured insights that helped shape the form’s practical improvements. Notably, the committee decided early on to separate material information from the TA6, allowing for clearer focus and usability. A wholesale review of home buyer understanding and usability of the form, and its liabilities, is reflected in clearer explanatory notes and structure, developed through user testing involving in-depth interviews with conveyancers and sellers, as well as eye-tracked usability studies. These efforts ensured the form is both visually intuitive and logically structured for professionals and clients alike. Alongside the removal of the much-maligned material information, key changes in the 6th edition include a reduction in length, now 15 sections, and the removal of questions on council tax, asking price, building safety, and accessibility. The form now includes more ‘not known’ options for when sellers don’t know the answer to certain questions. One of the criticisms levelled at the process of updating the TA protocol forms is the lack of practical, day-to-day experience of frontline conveyancing. But nothing could be further from the truth concludes Sargent, refuting claims the committee is out of touch, and emphasising the group’s collective expertise and hands-on knowledge of the challenges faced by conveyancers in delivering this updated form.  The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    30 min

  6. 6 OCT

    Mazur, money and modernisation - The regulator's view

    In this episode of the Today's Conveyancer Podcast host David Opie is joined by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers' Director of Strategy and External Relations to discuss the regulator's view of the big issues facing conveyancing. The podcast was initially recorded in the days before the government's home buying and selling reforms consultation with much of the discussion focussing on the risks identified in the CLC's annual Risk Agenda.  A key topic is the changing nature of client accounts, prompted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s consultation. Despite the SRA's confirmation it is not likely to change the operation of client account in the short term, Stephen warns firms not to rely on the current model indefinitely. He confirms the CLC has no immediate plans to mandate alternatives but recognises reduced risk of funds interception in a world where solicitors and conveyancers complete fewer bank transfers; and highlights the current discussions on redirecting interest earned on client accounts toward legal aid funding as in other jurisdictions.  Stephen also tackles the recent Mazur litigation ruling which redefines the role of unqualified individuals conducting reserved legal activities. Stephen clarifies that the ruling pertains strictly to litigation and does not affect conveyancing. He is clear, although concedes the wording in the legislation isn't(!), under the Legal Services Act 2007, conveyancing and probate may be performed by non-qualified staff under supervision, a model widely used and fully compliant with current legislation. The conversation covers post-completion, complaints handling, cryptocurrency and AML, auction houses and the future of conveyancing; observing that government legislation is paving the way for initiatives like digital ID verification, conditional contracts, and shared data frameworks; the CLC remains engaged with industry stakeholders to ensure that regulatory infrastructure supports this transformation while safeguarding consumers. The podcast swerves into a brief segue regarding the home buying and selling consultation and separate material information consultation, a whole podcast in itself. Stephen says the CLC welcomes the move which could bring a level of mandation to the process and start to see pressure from home movers through the adoption of material information and service comparisons outlined in the consultation. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    36 min

  7. 27 SEPT

    A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

    ...so the proverb goes. In this latest episode of the Today's Conveyancer podcast the topic of conversation turns to the increasing use of open AI and tools like Google's Gemini, and ChatGPT to help consumers understand more about the conveyancing process; in turn challenging the advice provided by the profession and eroding the trust between lawyer and client.  Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and a regular contributor to the podcast known for his forthright views, shares his concerns that AI tools like ChatGPT are changing how consumers engage with legal services. Clients are now using these platforms to analyse contracts and generate complaints - often after completion - creating new challenges for law firms. In his own firm he acknowledges the impact it is having and shares some of his own strategies to support staff and placate clients. While AI can’t replace legal expertise, it’s fuelling unrealistic expectations and undermining professional judgement. Conveyancers must now defend decisions made months earlier, often against machine-generated critiques. It is critical says Peter firms embrace this challenge. With AI making it easier for clients to challenge decisions, firms must ensure their records are watertight. How many times have we talked about the importance of clear and contemporaneous documentation. Peter’s advice is pragmatic: adapt now, or risk being left behind. Adopt AI and make it work for you. He believes communication - not just legal knowledge - will be the key differentiator for firms in the future. With the proliferation of technology in legal services Peter urges the sector to evolve before it’s overtaken. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    30 min

  8. 20 SEPT

    The Perfect Partner

    In the third and final instalment of his "Perfect" trilogy, former CEO of the fastest growing law firm at the time-turned consultant Simon McCrum shares his views on what it takes to be the Perfect Partner in a legal business.  Through the course of his book, and in previous podcasts, Simon has explored what it takes to create 'The Perfect Legal Business' and 'The Perfect Lawyer.' In this Today's Conveyancer podcast, Simon discusses what it takes to be 'The Perfect Partner' and how through the three books the roles fit together.  He introduces the concept of the 'four-legged stool' essential to law firm success: clients, colleagues, cash, and compliance. Each leg represents a critical pillar, and missing any one of them destabilises the entire operation. In The Perfect Lawyer Simon explores lawyer behaviours and the importance of aligning legal professionals with the firm’s broader goals. However, Simon’s journey led him to a deeper realization: the true drivers of change and culture within firms are the partners. These individuals hold disproportionate influence, and their behaviours—whether constructive or toxic—can make or break a firm’s trajectory. In The Perfect Partner, Simon reframes partners as “influencers,” arguing that leadership is not about title but about behaviour and impact. He outlines two key dimensions: first, whether a partner’s behaviour earns trust and influence; and second, how that influence is directed. A partner who is chaotic, bullying, or disengaged cannot lead effectively. Conversely, those who are consistent, respectful, and strategic can galvanize their teams and drive meaningful change. The book also critiques traditional law firm structures, particularly the paralysis-by-committee that often stifles progress. Marketing, too, comes under scrutiny as  Simon argues law firm marketing should prioritise developing existing clients and using that success as a differentiator, rather than chasing new leads with generic messaging.  The trilogy is designed to be read independently, but together they chart Simon’s evolution from managing partner to legal business consultant. Each book builds on the last, culminating in a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable success in the legal sector. And the message is clear; real transformation begins with leadership, and The Perfect Partner offers a candid, actionable guide for partners—and aspiring partners—who want to lead with purpose and impact. The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views. Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

    28 min
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About

The Today's Conveyancer Podcast introduces listeners to the wide array of individuals and organisations who contribute to the success of the conveyancing industry. With a mix of business and industry insight, innovation, and knowledge sharing, the podcast is a "must-listen" for property professionals.

Information

  • Creator
    Today's Conveyancer
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    138
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Today's Conveyancer Podcast
  • Show Website
    Today's Conveyancer Podcast

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