Convey Law has promoted its experienced IT Manager, Joe Norris, to become its first Group IT Director to oversee all IT including bespoke software development for the Convey Group of companies.
Joe joined Convey Law as IT Support Manager only 18 months ago before being promoted to IT Manager and has since built and developed the department into a cohesive unit of 10 which he is continuing to grow.
As well as overseeing all day-to-day IT needs for the online conveyancing specialist, Joe is also playing a key part in the development and planned launch to market later this year of Convey365IT’s ground-breaking IT case management system for the conveyancing industry. Joe Norris said:
“I am proud and delighted to be promoted to this senior role as Group IT Director. I joined the business to coordinate the company’s IT needs and bring together all the IT operatives into one thriving department.
“As well as working hard to continually grow the department, I am also focusing on the development of the conveyancing case management, accounts and online portal system. This has been in place at Convey Law for over three years and is functioning extremely well and I am looking forward to playing a part in bringing that to market.”
Joe joined Convey Law from business software solutions firm Alphalogix in Chepstow, one of the largest providers of Sage software in the UK. He continued:
“I joined Convey as we were heading into the pandemic so I am really proud of the work we have done as a department to develop such innovative systems which are playing and will play such a vital part in the ongoing success of Convey Law and its affiliates and will support the growth of the company.
“My focus is on developing these systems and bringing onboard more talented developers to work with us and to take on the challenge. It is an exciting time to join us.”
Managing Director of Convey Law, Lloyd Davies, praised Joe’s dedication to developing the group’s IT, commenting:
“Joe has fully embraced his role and built a great IT team to assist him who are enjoying working together on the exciting projects that we are pioneering. It is an exciting time for us as we take our new products to market as we have spent years implementing our knowledge and expertise into our case management and IT onboarding, case tracking and management portals, which can now help others in the industry to achieve their potential.
“The system is quite brilliant and the management tools are excellent for managing all aspects of a conveyancing business. I know from first-hand experience that our systems will make conveyancing quicker, easier and safer – for clients, Conveyancers and introducers of business.
“We are constantly building and enhancing our IT platforms with our expert and specialist team of developers and Joe is absolutely the right person to lead us forward onto the next chapter.”
The Conveyancing Foundation has raised nearly £5000 towards its £30,000 “Be Kind We Care” fundraising target after a successful night as Charity Partner of the recent British Conveyancing Awards where the work of the initiative was showcased.
“Be Kind We Care” was launched by the not-for-profit Foundation during the pandemic to encourage kindness between professionals in the property and conveyancing industry at a time of intense pressure.
Not only does it provide professionals with practical resources and advice on mental health and wellbeing, but it has also been raising much-needed funds for mental health charities.
The Foundation was chosen as the first Official Charity Partner of the British Conveyancing Awards after Awards organisers were impressed by its principles, aims, and its provision of practical support.
The work of “Be Kind We Care” was highlighted throughout the event and a Charity Raffle was held to raise funds for the charities it supports.
Nicola Lancaster from the Conveyancing Foundation said the charity was honoured to become the first official charity partner of the Awards which had significantly boosted fundraising. She said:
“We set a target of £30,000 fundraising for ‘Be Kind We Care’ by the end of its first year in April 2022. Therefore, to partner with such a high profile event which, although only in its second year, is clearly set to become a cornerstone of the industry events calendar, was a great accolade for us and perfect timing.”
A total of £4,718 was raised through donations to the Awards Charity Raffle for the opportunity of winning prizes donated by sponsors including the Dye & Durham Corporation, Global X, Groundsure, Infotrack, Today’s Conveyancer, the Society of Licensed Conveyancers, and the Conveyancing Academy.
Event organiser David Opie from Today’s Media said:
“We were proud to associate The British Conveyancing Awards with the Conveyancing Foundation, which is a cause close to our hearts. Readers of Today’s Conveyancer will be familiar with the ‘Be Kind We Care’ initiative and its efforts to promote positive mental health and well-being in the conveyancing sector.
“The heart-breaking stories we’ve reported on over the last two years highlights the importance of prioritising our own mental health and well-being and to be able to raise awareness through these awards has been brilliant.
“Thank you to the supporters for donating the raffle prizes and of course to all our in-person and virtual attendees for their generosity in donating on the night. To raise nearly £5000 was simply fantastic.”
Speaking at the Awards, Conveyancing Foundation chairman Lloyd Davies, who himself was shortlisted for the first ever British Conveyancing Awards Industry Champion award at the ceremony, said “Be Kind was Care” grew out of the turmoil the conveyancing industry was in during the pandemic:
“It really is very simple; it’s all about thinking about what you are doing when you are doing it and who you are speaking to and just taking the time out to think about whether or not, if you were on the other side of the phone, you would want to be on the receiving end of it and being kind to each other.”
Lloyd, who is also Managing Director of Convey Law, which was Highly Commended in the Outstanding Employee Experience category for its exemplary employee support, said:
“In terms of mental health issues and staff wellbeing, I think we have raised the bar in terms of how leaders can help to look after people that work for them.”
The Employee Experience award recognised companies who have consistently provided for the well-being of their staff and whose company culture reflects these values. The award was won by the tmgroup and also shortlisted were Grant Saw Solicitors LLP.
The Conveyancing Foundation is inviting all of those shortlisted to share best practice at a “Be Kind We Care” webinar in May. Nicola Lancaster from the Foundation added:
“We rely totally on the support of those in the profession and we are always looking for sponsors so please do contact us if you would like to find out more about how you can help.”
Your Conveyancing Services Managing Director Lloyd Davies talked to The Times weekly Property Section – known as Bricks & Mortar – last week about the house buying and selling process, why it takes so long and what could be done to improve it.
High profile industry voices including Lloyd were asked their opinions on the issues and what could be done.
Lloyd said he believed the process itself needed attention and that the majority of delays were from information not being available quickly enough for due diligence, adding: “The protocols that are currently followed need to be brought up to date to align with digital technology, which is already largely in place.”
He also said he would also like to see a standardised and verified seller’s information pack, backed by a standard conveyancing protocol across the industry.
The Times reports:
A solicitor shortage and shoddy system mean deals are taking an average of 138.5 days. Here’s how to speed up a sale.
The conveyancing system in England and Wales is on its knees. Lawyers are leaving in droves while homebuyers are left to navigate an archaic moving process that is taking longer than it did at the height of the rush to beat the first stamp duty deadline in June 2021.
Last month, property deals took 138.5 days on average from the time the sale was agreed to reach exchange. In June last year vendors and buyers typically exchanged after 88 days, according to data compiled by View My Chain, an online conveyancing management tool for estate agents.
This is backed up by research from the Landmark Information Group (LIG), a property data company, which shows that in February the average purchase took 135 days from instruction to completion, and a large part of this delay was in the conveyancing, which now takes a record 59 days.
“It is a direct result of the stamp duty holiday period, which finished in September 2021,” says Simon Bath, chief executive of iPlace Global, a property technology company. “As conveyancers had been swamped in the preceding nine months, many used the run-up to Christmas to take overdue annual leave. When you factor in this period, the knock-on effect meant that many transactions ‘slipped’ into the new year.”
The pandemic rush to move exacerbated an existing problem and this proved to be the last straw for some conveyancing lawyers, who are often neither as appreciated nor paid as much as their colleagues in other branches of law.
“There is a huge skills shortage. Many are leaving and recruitment efforts are being hampered by the negativity towards the industry” Bath says.
Victoria Mortimer, a partner at Knights law firm and a director of the Conveyancing Association, says: “The pressure put on conveyancing practitioners has been substantial. It has led to a large proportion of conveyancers choosing to leave.”
These staff shortages, plus exceptional demand from people moving during the pandemic, have exposed the underlying issues with our buying and selling process. Simon Brown, chief executive of LIG, says transaction processing times have gradually increased over the past 15 years and this is “symptomatic of inefficiencies and slow innovation throughout the home-moving process”.
If you are in the midst of buying or selling, you cannot wait for the industry to be overhauled, but you can be as proactive as possible. Have all your paperwork, including your mortgage offer, ready; sign papers swiftly; and communicate regularly with your conveyancing lawyer.
Bath recommends having money on account before the process begins, otherwise your conveyancer will not start the process, causing even more delays. Also on his checklist is to provide proof of ID and address, and check and provide your source of funds. If you are purchasing a property on your own, a bank statement or a mortgage offer in principle will do, but if you are getting help from relatives, for example, then they must provide an additional written statement. And don’t forget to apply for buildings insurance; this is a condition of your mortgage that needs to be completed before you take ownership of your home.
One of the most popular proposals is the introduction of sellers’ information packs provided when a property is put on the market. In a recent survey of almost 1,100 Bricks & Mortar readers, 31 per cent said that sellers’ information packs should be the industry’s top priority compared with just 19 per cent who prioritised digital conveyancing.
Mortimer says: “[Packs] allow buyers to be more informed when making offers. It also means that as soon as an offer is accepted, the contract pack with all documentation can be sent immediately to the buyers’ conveyancer to start the process of requesting searches and raising property inquiries.”
If the seller’s conveyancer has checked the pack is complete before a buyer is found, this can reduce the number of inquiries. Likewise, if it is made available to the buyer’s lender before valuation, it can cut down on the number of post-valuation queries.
Meanwhile, players across the industry have formed the Home Buying and Selling Group, which is government-backed, to find a solution. It is working on an integrated seller’s information pack and an electronic platform to share information between estate agents, conveyancing lawyers, mortgage brokers, surveyors, and buyers and sellers.
Such changes could entice more law students to become conveyancers, and that in turn would make it easier — and quicker — to move house.
The Conveyancing Foundation has raised nearly £5000 towards its £30,000 fundraising target after a successful night at the recent British Conveyancing Awards where its ‘Be Kind We Care’ initiative was Official Charity Partner.
‘Be Kind We Care’ was launched by the not-for-profit Foundation during the pandemic, to encourage kindness between professionals in the property and conveyancing industry at a time of intense pressure.
Not only does it provide professionals with practical resources and advice on mental health and wellbeing but it has also been raising much-needed funds for mental health charities.
The charity was chosen as the first Official Charity Partner of the British Conveyancing Awards after Awards organisers were impressed by its principles and aims and its provision of practical support.
The work of ‘Be Kind We Care’ was highlighted throughout the event and a Charity Raffle was held to raise funds for the charities it supports.
Nicola Lancaster from the Conveyancing Foundation said the charity was honoured to become the first official charity partner of the Awards which had significantly boosted fundraising.
She said: “We set a target of £30,000 fundraising for ‘Be Kind We Care’ by the end of its first year in April 2022. Therefore, to partner with such a high profile event which, although only in its second year, is clearly set to become a cornerstone of the industry events calendar, was a great accolade for us and perfect timing.”
A total of £4,718 was raised through donations to the Awards Charity Raffle for the opportunity of winning prizes donated by sponsors including the Dye & Durham Corporation, Global X, Groundsure, Infotrack, Today’s Conveyancer, the Society of Licensed Conveyancers and the Conveyancing Academy.
Event organiser David Opie from Today’s Media said: “We were proud to associate The British Conveyancing Awards with The Conveyancing Foundation, which is a cause close to our hearts. Readers of Today’s Conveyancer will be familiar with the ‘Be Kind We Care’ initiative and its efforts to promote positive mental health and well-being in the conveyancing sector.
“The heartbreaking stories we’ve reported on over the last two years highlights the importance of prioritising our own mental health and well-being and to be able to raise awareness through these awards has been brilliant.
“Thank you to the supporters for donating the raffle prizes and of course to all our in-person and virtual attendees for their generosity in donating on the night. To raise nearly £5000 was simply fantastic.”
Speaking at the Awards, Conveyancing Foundation chairman Lloyd Davies, who himself was shortlisted for the first-ever British Conveyancing Awards Industry Champion award at the ceremony, said ‘Be Kind was Care’ grew out of the turmoil the conveyancing industry was in during the pandemic:
“It really is very simple; it’s all about thinking about what you are doing when you are doing it and who you are speaking to and just taking the time out to think about whether or not, if you were on the other side of the phone, you would want to be on the receiving end of it and being kind to each other.”
Lloyd, who is also Managing Director of Your Conveyancing Services, which was Highly Commended in the Outstanding Employee Experience category for its exemplary employee support, said: “In terms of mental health issues and staff wellbeing, I think we have raised the bar a little bit in terms of how leaders can help to look after people that work for them.”
The Employee Experience award also recognised companies that have consistently provided for the wellbeing of their staff and whose company culture reflects these values.
Nicola Lancaster from the Foundation added: “We rely totally on the support of those in the profession and we are always looking for sponsors so please do contact us if you would like to find out more about how you can help.”
Your Conveyancing Services has donated 12 much-needed laptops to a Monmouthshire youth centre to help young people who do not have access to a computer at home.
Many of the young people who use The Zone in Caldicot have to rely on local youth services when they need computer access for homework or searching for work. The centre provides valuable support and opportunities to young people in the area aged 11 to 25 and is open six days a week.
MonLife Youth and Community Officer Darryl White explained:
“The Zone reaches many young people, particularly those who are vulnerable and living in a socially deprived communities, where access to the internet and digital devices are limited.
“This donation will mean that young people who don’t have access will now be able to complete their homework/projects and digital engagement opportunities based at the Zone.”
Your Conveyancing Services conveyancer Alex Harris, who runs a youth centre part-time in Caerwent, South Wales, presented the laptops on behalf of Your Conveyancing Services, whose Head Office is based in Newport, South Wales.
Zone Youth Worker Katie Jones said:
“Thank you so much Alex and Your Conveyancing Services! The young people will benefit from these by being able to apply for jobs CV writing and so much more.”
Your Conveyancing Services Managing Director Lloyd Davies said:
“We are a longtime supporter of our local communities and services and we are extremely happy to be helping to make some difference to the lives of these young people.
“We all know that youth services have been badly hit and often need to rely on charitable and corporate giving to survive. We will continue to help support them and others in need where we can.”
Office worker Abbie Garland believes home working has improved her well-being and made her more productive.
“Honestly, I can’t see myself working in the office full-time again,” said the 24-year-old conveyancer, who became her firm’s joint employee of the year.
The Covid pandemic has changed the world of work, with some people rarely, if ever, going into the office.
But while staff at one firm in Newport said home-working helped their mental health, some still prefer office life.
Conveyancing firm Convey Law has half of its 150 staff working from home, and wants to double its workforce.
The Welsh government has said it would like to see about 30% of staff working from home in the future.
Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has said employers will have to accommodate home and office-based working from now on, if they want to attract the best young talent.
Ms Garland, from Blackwood, Caerphilly county, said she would not have won employee of the year if she had been in the office full time.
“I feel more productive. I’ve got less distractions,” she said.
“The main thing is that it saves me a 40-minute commute, driving to work and driving home, saving time, money and helping the carbon footprint.
“I can use that time in other ways. I can walk my dog on my lunch break, which is really good for my mental health.”
Ms Garland said she and other home workers were “pioneering” a new way of working that would pave the way for employees going forward.
“I don’t mind coming in once a week just to see all of my friends, but I absolutely love working from home,” she said.
“It is totally the new normal.”
Conveyancer Rowan Connell, 25, said: “I feel like we are part of something that will serve generations to come.
“We’re a bit like the guinea pigs, and I think the trial has gone really really well, and will show companies, like our own company here, that it can be done.
“I think the stereotype is that people work from home and don’t get anything done, they laze about and clock off early, but it’s definitely not the case.”
However, she said she does prefer working in an office.
“I was keen to meet as many people as I could and coming into the office is a good way of doing that,” she said.
However, she admitted joining a new workplace during the pandemic “has been a strange experience”.
“It was quite awkward and uncomfortable, not like any other first day; not shaking hands, not quite sure of the etiquette of how to behave on the first day, when you’re not allowed to have those normal interactions.”
A new Princes Trust survey of 16 to 25-year-olds found a quarter of young people in Wales believed job prospects would never recover because of the pandemic.
In its annual youth index survey, carried out between December 2021 and January 2022, almost half of young people in Wales who responded said they would consider the impact a job would have on their mental health before accepting a position because of the pandemic.
In addition, almost 45% of respondents in Wales said the pandemic had made it more difficult to get a job.
Lesley Richard, head of human resource organisation the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Wales, said companies offering hybrid working would attract the best young talent from now on.
But she said bosses would have to be better at managing home workers.
“Once they’ve found their feet, once they’re two or three months into the organisation, they might actually find it more productive to work from home, so it’s about giving them the choice,” she said.
Welsh government minister Lee Waters said Wales should adopt “a workplace culture that values and supports remote working”.
Setting out its ambition, the Welsh government said it would “help employees productivity as well as their work-life balance”.
