How to Specialise in Conveyancing as a Trainee Lawyer

The legal sector provides a fantastic foundation for a successful and rewarding career, but it also offers countless opportunities to specialise. One such area is in conveyancing. 

Conveyancing solicitors deal with property transactions and it’s a fast-paced area that’s always evolving and moving forward. If you’re keen to get involved with this area of law, these are the skills you’ll need to specialise as a conveyancer. 

What sets a conveyancer apart?

A conveyancer is an expert in all areas of buying and selling a property. Solicitors who have specialised in conveyancing may also have expertise in other areas of law such as criminal law or commercial law. Legal professionals Andrew and Andrew Solicitors explain that “conveyancing in the UK involves the preparation of documents that are needed to either buy or sell a property. The process can also extend to applying for mortgages, performing searches, getting surveys on the property, holding auctions (if you are selling your home), and of course, the transfer of legal contracts”.

What skills are needed to be successful as a conveyancer?

The key to a successful career depends on whether you have the core skills for this role. But the good news is that you can develop these essential skills with time and perseverance.

Communication

Conveyancers will be working with multiple parties every day, so having strong communication skills is a crucial element of the job. They’ll need to be able to convey important, often complex legal information to their clients, speak with other solicitors and legal professionals, and their own colleagues within their own team. It’s not just oral communication that counts either – conveyancing comes with a lot of documents, legal forms and correspondence, so written communication is essential. 

Empathy

When you’re working with clients, having empathy towards them is a critical part of the position. Buying and selling property can be incredibly stressful and you’ll be helping people progress with important life-changing decisions, so it’s essential that you have empathy and understanding for their perspective on the situation. 

Time management

Time management isn’t a skill exclusively relevant to conveyancing but to any professional role. However, it is a skill that’s key to working effectively in this industry, where deadlines and time restraints are so prominent. Having strong time management skills, and the ability to prioritise tasks properly will make your job a lot easier when you’re working as a conveyancer and will help you to meet the deadlines set by your clients’ property moves. 

Integrity

As a legal professional, honesty and integrity are extremely important characteristics. You’ll be acting in the best interests of your clients, so you need to be able to work to a strict code of ethics and be completely open with them at all times.

What qualifications do you need?

As a trainee lawyer, you’re already in a good place to specialise in conveyancing. You can earn a professional qualification through the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, such as a Level 4 or Level 6 Diploma in Conveyancing Law and Practice. 

It is possible to study for this profession without working in the legal sector, but with the ground knowledge you’ll have gained, you’ll be able to apply your expertise to your role and earn higher salaries as a result. If you have a degree in law, you might be able to complete your qualification faster.  

Apprenticeships and work placements are also a great way to gain hands-on experience in the sector and can help you build your network too which can be useful when it comes to applying for jobs. To apply for registration with the Council for Licensed Conveyancers you need to have six months’ practical experience in a conveyancing practice or a legal firm. Once you have this, you can then take your Level 6 diploma to fully qualify. 

Final thoughts

There are various skills that a skilled conveyancing solicitor should possess, helping trainee lawyers to pave the way for a successful career that hones their skills and knowledge in a particular area. 

Conveyancers can find roles in a variety of sectors too, from property development and housing association industries to banking and finance. It’s a role that offers a wide array of possibilities and a rewarding, interesting career path.