It has been an eventful couple of months across many areas of the economy and…
As the Conveyancing Association celebrates its 25th anniversary, it marks an opportunity to reflect on the role the organisation has played in supporting conveyancers, championing collaboration and helping firms navigate an increasingly complex and fast-changing profession.
For 25 years, the CA has brought together firms from across the conveyancing community to share knowledge, exchange ideas and engage with the issues shaping the future of home moving. From policy and regulatory reform to technological innovation and changing consumer expectations, the Association has helped members stay informed, prepared and connected.
That ability to bring people together remains one of the Association’s greatest strengths and is something that has become increasingly valuable as the profession continues to evolve.
For Anne-Marie Fowler, Managing Director and Licensed Conveyancer at Priory Law, membership has provided access to valuable insight, professional connections and a wider community of conveyancers committed to sharing knowledge and supporting one another through change.
Anne-Marie’s own career has always been closely connected to the property sector. Before qualifying as a Licensed Conveyancer, she worked across a range of property-related roles, gaining valuable insight into different aspects of the home moving journey. She later progressed through a number of firms before taking on her current leadership role at Priory Law.
Those experiences helped shape her approach to leadership and reinforced a belief that successful conveyancing starts with people, a principle she believes sits at the heart of both successful businesses and successful professional communities.
Priory Law joined the CA in 2024 after Anne-Marie attended a member meeting following a chance conversation with CA Director of Delivery, Beth Rudolf.
Although she was already familiar with Beth’s work and understood the Association’s role within the profession, she admits she had not fully appreciated the breadth of support available to members.
That changed quickly.
Through member meetings, conferences, events and regular updates, Anne-Marie gained access to a wider network of conveyancing professionals, industry experts and suppliers, all willing to share experiences and discuss the challenges facing the profession.
For Anne-Marie, one of the most valuable aspects of membership has been the opportunity to stay ahead of change.
Conveyancing professionals face a constant stream of legislative, regulatory and operational developments. Understanding what is changing, when those changes may take effect and how firms should prepare is increasingly important.
The CA helps members navigate that landscape.
“The policy updates are brilliant,” she says.
Knowing what Government is planning, understanding likely timelines and identifying the issues that require attention allows firms to focus on what is genuinely important rather than becoming overwhelmed by the volume of information circulating across the profession.
As the Association has evolved over the last 25 years, helping members understand and prepare for change has become one of its defining strengths.
For Anne-Marie, that insight does not simply stay with senior leaders.
It is shared throughout the business.
Recognising the challenge of keeping pace with constant change, she has developed a collaborative approach to learning at Priory Law. Every six weeks, a member of the team takes responsibility for gathering industry updates, researching developments and presenting them back to colleagues in a roundtable discussion.
The aim is not simply to share information, but to encourage discussion, engagement and ownership.
The policy updates, professional insight and wider conversations generated through the Conveyancing Association frequently form part of those discussions, helping ensure the entire team remains informed about the issues shaping the future of the profession.
“It’s shared, it’s collaborative,” she says. “People are engaging with it in a completely different way.”
That commitment to collaboration is another area where Anne-Marie sees significant value in the Association.
For 25 years, the CA has provided a platform for firms to learn from one another, discuss common challenges and share best practice.
In a profession that is often perceived as competitive, Anne-Marie believes that willingness to collaborate creates real value.
“I want to be at the forefront of change,” she says.
For her, being part of the Association provides an opportunity to understand how other firms are approaching challenges, to learn from their experiences and to consider new ways of working.
That has delivered tangible benefits.
Through connections made within the Association, Anne-Marie was introduced to alternative professional indemnity insurance providers, resulting in significant savings. Member events and supplier presentations have also helped identify new technology platforms and systems, while networking opportunities have led to new professional relationships and speaking engagements.
“It has opened me up to networks that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to access,” she says.
Looking ahead, Anne-Marie believes one of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the profession is artificial intelligence.
While she understands why some firms remain cautious, she believes the profession must engage with emerging technologies and understand the implications they may have for client expectations, communication and business operations.
“I think there’s a massive opportunity there,” she says.
At the same time, she recognises the challenges that come with rapid technological change. Clients are increasingly turning to AI tools for information, often arriving with extensive lists of questions or assumptions that do not always reflect the realities of a transaction.
As a result, conveyancers must continue to adapt, communicate clearly and ensure clients receive practical guidance that reflects their individual circumstances.
“We can’t ignore it,” she says. “The role of AI in conveyancing will continue to grow. It is likely that structured, AI-supported processes will become part of how the profession demonstrates a consistent and defensible approach to risk management. The question is no longer whether firms should engage with this. It is how well they choose to do so.”
As the profession considers the opportunities presented by AI and other emerging technologies, Anne-Marie believes organisations such as the Conveyancing Association have an important role to play in helping members understand future trends, share experiences and prepare for change.
That willingness to embrace new ideas also extends to the way Priory Law approaches client relationships and communication.
Using personality profiling, the firm has invested in helping team members better understand their own communication styles and how they interact with different types of clients.
The initiative has encouraged colleagues to think differently about communication and client care, recognising that different people require different approaches.
For Anne-Marie, it is another example of the importance of understanding people and adapting to change.
The same principle underpins the culture she has worked hard to create at Priory Law.
The firm has invested heavily in systems, processes, technology and compliance frameworks that support its people, while wellbeing remains a key priority.
She believes engaged and supported teams are fundamental to delivering exceptional client service.
“The team are your business,” she explains. “From a small team to a thriving group of passionate professionals, we have grown together, supported our clients through some of the most important moments of their lives, and built a culture of care, collaboration, and innovation.”
While the practical challenges facing conveyancers have changed significantly over the last 25 years, Anne-Marie believes the importance of people, collaboration and shared learning has remained constant.
Those are qualities she sees reflected in both the culture she has created within her own business and in the wider conveyancing community fostered by the CA.
As the Conveyancing Association celebrates its 25th anniversary, her message is one of gratitude.
Membership has provided valuable insight, practical support, professional connections and access to expertise that helps her business stay ahead of change. More importantly, it has connected her to a community of professionals committed to improving the conveyancing process and supporting one another through a period of significant transformation.
For 25 years, the CA has played an important role in bringing that community together.
As the profession continues to evolve, Anne-Marie believes that combination of collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective expertise will be more important than ever.
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