News and Events

The SLC has recently re-launched to help its members and the Licensed Conveyancer profession to face the challenges that the ever changing face of legal services and conveyancing pose. The introduction of Alternative Business Structures (ABS) that will allow non-legally qualified shareholders to own law practices went live on 6th October. The first organisation to achieve approval for a new structure under this legislation was indeed a licensed conveyancing business under the regulatory regime of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers

In addition to this the mortgage lending profession is restricting the conveyancing firms that they will recognise on their panels. This is particularly threatening to smaller practices.

All of this is set against a backdrop of the lowest volume of housing transactions in living memory and intense competition in the market place. The use of technology increasingly puts margins under pressure and clients are looking for service to be delivered electronically outside of core working hours. 

The Society of Licensed Conveyancers has key role to play not just in helping its members to face these challenges. It is our intention that these challenges are turned into opportunities and that we help our members take advantage of them to build a distinctive proposition to serve their clients.

2011 SLC Conference

• The Society of Licensed Conveyancers held a conference at Pride Park in Derby on 22nd November entitled ‘Embracing the Future of Conveyancing’. For more details, click here.

ABS go live!!

• The Society of Licensed Conveyancers was represented at the Launch of Alternative Business Structures hosted by the Legal Services Board on Thursday 6th October in London. The Minister Jonathan Djangoly heralded a new age for the provision of legal services and warmly welcomed the pioneering role of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers in being first off the blocks to regulate the new structures. Premier Property Lawyers became the first new ABS to be approved by the CLC showing that Licensed Conveyancers are prepared to lead the way in the new world.

  John Clay, Chairman of the SLC said ‘These are new and exciting times for our profession – if a little daunting! The SLC has a vital role to play in helping members not just to face the new world but to embrace it and turn it to their professional advantage.’