Property
Property industry urges sellers to instruct lawyers from the start
Conveyancers, estate agents, surveyors and others have signed up to an ‘industry pledge’ that urges sellers to instruct a lawyer before, or at the same time as, they put their property on the market.
Convicted conveyancer struck off for facilitiating mortgage fraud
A conveyancer who recklessly facilitated a mortgage fraud before being convicted of three money laundering offences and then failing to surrender to bail has been struck off.
Second summary judgment issued against firm in three months
The High Court has issued a second summary judgment ruling against EAD Solicitors arising from the alleged fraudulent activities of a businessman in collusion with a former partner of the Liverpool law firm.
Solicitor under-declared sale prices to pocket stamp duty
A solicitor who falsified returns to HM Revenue & Customs so as to underpay stamp duty land tax and pocket the difference in a bid to keep his firm afloat has been struck off.
Conveyancing paralegal banned for trying to cover up mistake
A conveyancing paralegal who tried to cover up her mistake in not sending an updated plan to the buyers’ solicitor has been banned from working in the profession.
Land Registry embraces ‘witnessed electronic signatures’
The last strict requirement to print and sign a paper document in a property transaction was removed today as HM Land Registry began accepting ‘witnessed electronic signatures’.
Consumers “will no longer tolerate” paper-based conveyancing
There are still too many paper-based processes in conveyancing and consumers will no longer tolerate it in the wake of Covid-19, the chairman of HM Land Registry has argued.
Agreement seeks to “smooth” home-buying process
A voluntary cross-industry agreement to improve the home-buying process – including earlier instructions to conveyancers – is being mooted.
Simplify adds major conveyancing firm to ranks
Consolidation at the top end of the conveyancing market is speeding up after Simplify announced the acquisition of a leading London and South East firm, the second private equity-backed deal this week.
Work still at 50% of pre-Covid levels, says NAHL
NAHL plc has seen a modest recovery since lockdown restrictions eased but personal injury and conveyancing work is still at 50% of pre-Covid levels.
Blog
Why menopause support belongs on every law firm’s agenda
Progression in the law slows significantly as women approach senior leadership. Most will be at the height of their careers around the average age menopause symptoms begin.
Law firms need to go beyond document checks
At the root of every failed compliance review is a familiar phrase: a calm assertion of “but we did a document check”.
How you respond to mistakes matters more than the mistakes themselves
Mistakes in legal practice are inevitable. What truly differentiates well-run firms from those that stumble is not whether mistakes occur, but how they are handled when they do.
