National Conveyancing Week – Why conveyancing?

In celebration of National Conveyancing Week, we’re taking a moment to highlight the critical role that our residential conveyancing team plays in helping clients navigate the complex process of buying and selling property. Today, one of our senior paralegals shares a personal insight into her journey into conveyancing, what a typical week entails, and why trainees and apprentices should consider it as a seat option or even a potential area for qualification.

How I got into conveyancing

As a child, I envisioned a career in law, largely inspired by the dramatic portrayals of courtroom lawyers on television. However, by the time I reached university, I quickly realised that the reality of working in law was very different from what I had imagined. Despite this, I remained determined to pursue a career within the field.
My journey into conveyancing followed a fairly typical trajectory. I began by obtaining a law degree, then completed the LPC, and ultimately sought work experience. This path led me to Cripps in 2014. Although I had studied land law and property as core modules, I, like many others, hadn’t yet felt a spark that would ignite a passion for a career in property law.

At Cripps, I worked my way up from an admin assistant in the plot sales team to a paralegal in the residential investment team, and eventually became a senior paralegal in the residential conveyancing team. It was during this progression that I had an unexpected realisation – I genuinely enjoyed property law and wanted to pursue it further. The hands-on experience of working with clients proved far more interesting and rewarding than I had anticipated as a student.
Recognising that property law was the area I wanted to specialise in, I chose to take an alternative route to qualification. I became a member of CILEX, and I am now working through my work experience and qualification in this way. This route has allowed me to continue growing in my chosen field while gaining practical, invaluable experience along the way

A week in conveyancing

On a typical day within the residential conveyancing team, you’ll handle a wide range of tasks, making it a unique experience compared to other teams within a law firm. The workload can be heavy, and the pace fast, so strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise are essential.
In conveyancing, you’ll be managing a high volume of communication—emails, post, and phone calls (including the occasional fax from lenders!). A large part of your day will be spent corresponding with clients, other solicitors, estate agents, lenders, mortgage brokers, and surveyors. Keeping everyone updated and managing expectations is crucial to ensure smooth transactions.

Your caseload will often involve a mix of sales and purchases, each at different stages of the process. One day, you might be providing a quote for a new client, responding to enquiries about a sale, and preparing a report on a purchase. On another day, you could be exchanging contracts on a sale, drafting a lease extension, and finalising the purchase of a property.

Conveyancing offers a diverse and rewarding range of experiences. You’ll feel the nerves and excitement of your first contract exchange and the satisfaction of receiving the thankfulness of client when you confirm a sale has completed. You’ll also experience the stress of managing things like changes in SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax), but also the immense joy of calling a client to confirm the successful completion of their new home purchase.
Teamwork is at the heart of conveyancing. It’s a collaborative environment where colleagues are always ready to help, making the challenges of the role easier to navigate and turning the experience into something both enjoyable and rewarding. With such a supportive team, you might even find yourself wanting to return to conveyancing after qualifying.

Why conveyancing?

I asked some of my colleagues to tell me why they would recommend conveyancing as a potential seat option and area for qualification:

– Jessica Long, Trainee
‘Working in residential conveyancing gives you the opportunity to manage numerous cases simultaneously with quick turnover and completion, helping you to develop a range of skills including efficiency, prioritisation of tasks and navigating client interaction to help with the important life event of buying or selling a home.’

– Fatima Afridi, Apprentice
‘Residential conveyancing gives you hands-on experience with real transactions, develops key skills like problem-solving and client communication, and offers a fast-paced, rewarding career path – providing apprentices like me with valuable transferable skills, making it an excellent seat option and area of law to qualify in.’

– Verity Hubble, Senior Associate
‘I really enjoyed the fast paced nature of the work and the opportunity to work closely with such a variety of different clients. It is a brilliant seat for developing both client care skills and time management skills and even if you do not see yourself as a property solicitor in the future I think that the skills that you learn in this seat are incredibly transferrable to other departments within the firm. It is a seat where you can really get stuck in from Day 1 and can ultimately end up running files (under supervision!) and trainees always seem to really enjoy having that level of client exposure and responsibility.’

– Rebecca Hughes, Partner and head of the residential conveyancing team
‘I knew from my first seat as a trainee that being a conveyancing solicitor was the career for me! I love working with individuals and it’s really rewarding to help people achieve their goals, like purchasing their dream home. As the head of the conveyancing team, I take pride in leading a dedicated team that enjoy the variety of the work and the satisfaction of solving problems to turn complex property transactions into seamless, positive experiences for our clients.’

So, when considering your options as a trainee, apprentice, or paralegal, why choose conveyancing? The real question is, why not?