March has been a month of CA responses, from the start when the Association issued…
As the Conveyancing Association marks its 25th anniversary, members across the sector are taking the opportunity to reflect on the role the organisation has played in their businesses and in the wider profession. For many, the CA has become far more than an industry body. It is a place where conveyancers can come together, share experience and work collectively to influence how the sector evolves.
For Sarah Ryan, Head of Legal Practice and Finance & Administration at Amity Law in Horwich, that sense of collaboration is exactly what makes the Association so valuable. Amity Law is a Legal member of the Conveyancing Association, and Sarah has been a long time supporter of the organisation throughout her career. She is also a Non Executive Director at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
With more than 35 years in conveyancing, Sarah has seen the profession change in many ways. Yet when she talks about the CA, what stands out most is the environment it has created for conveyancers to connect with one another.
“It was quite groundbreaking at the time,” she recalls, reflecting on the early days when the Association was first established. The idea that conveyancers from different firms could come together, collaborate and share ideas was not something the profession was used to. But the CA created exactly that kind of space and it continues to do so today.
For Sarah, the Association has become an important forum where the industry can talk openly about the issues it faces. It is a place to share knowledge, discuss change and work through challenges together. In what can sometimes be a demanding profession, that sense of community matters.
Sarah’s own career reflects the breadth of experience that many conveyancers bring to the sector. She originally wanted to work in technology as a coder or programmer, what she describes as a systems analyst back in the day, and had a particular interest in transforming manual processes into digital systems. Her legal career developed through the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, qualifying in areas including tort, contract, family law and litigation before later cross qualifying with the Council for Licensed Conveyancers to focus on conveyancing. She also holds a probate licence.
Despite that broad legal background, conveyancing quickly became the area that truly captured her interest. She talks about the work with genuine enthusiasm. The pace appeals to her, as does the need to think on your feet and solve problems quickly. But what she values most is the positive role conveyancers play in their clients’ lives.
Unlike many areas of law, conveyancing is usually connected to something hopeful. Clients may be moving for a new job, welcoming a new member to the family or simply beginning a new chapter. Conveyancers become invested in that journey alongside them.
“The best feeling is picking up the phone and telling someone it’s all completed,” she says.
That sense of shared purpose is one of the reasons she has always valued the Conveyancing Association. Over the years she has supported the CA across a number of businesses and has watched it grow into an organisation that represents firms of all shapes and sizes.
One of the things she particularly appreciates is how inclusive the membership has become. The CA brings together large volume conveyancing firms, smaller boutique practices, firms handling complex matters and, more recently, those exploring artificial intelligence and new technologies within the sector. It is a mix that reflects the real shape of the conveyancing market.
As the conveyancing sector continues to evolve, collaboration and shared insight have become increasingly important. Firms are navigating changes in technology, regulation and client expectations, often all at the same time. Being part of the CA helps firms stay informed and understand what those developments might mean for their businesses.
At Amity Law, that willingness to embrace change is very much part of the firm’s culture. Sarah describes the business as a boutique firm with a big reach. Alongside an employed team handling technical and complex cases, the firm also has a consultancy arm made up of experienced self employed consultants managing conveyancing work. Supporting both parts of the business is a strong management team responsible for onboarding, compliance and finance.
Technology plays an important role in how the firm operates. Amity works with a number of providers including Post Completion services, Orbital Witness, Digital Move and Lawyer Checker. More recently the firm has onboarded with PEXA, something Sarah believes will be a game changer for clients, conveyancers and lenders alike.
Even so, she is clear that technology must always serve a purpose. If a product enhances the conveyancing journey it is worth exploring. If it does not, it is not adopted simply for the sake of it.
This practical approach is also why Sarah values the role of the Conveyancing Association so highly. Fundamentally, she says, conveyancers are lawyers. They are not artificial intelligence specialists or technology experts, yet the industry is constantly being shaped by developments in those areas.
The CA provides a forum where those conversations can happen openly. It allows firms to share knowledge, learn from one another and work through new ideas together.
Just as importantly, it provides a collective voice for the profession. Many firms do not have the time or resources to respond individually to consultations or policy proposals that affect the sector. Through the CA, those voices can still be heard.
Sarah points to a number of issues where the Association has supported the profession, including engagement with the Ministry of Justice, discussions around interest on client accounts and the current debate around whether conveyancers should be required to register as tax advisers.
Beyond policy work, the CA also provides something less tangible but equally valuable. It creates a sense of community. Conveyancers know they have somewhere to go to listen, share ideas and support one another.
As the Conveyancing Association celebrates its 25th anniversary, Sarah believes it is important to take a moment to recognise everything that has been achieved.
Her message to the organisation is simple.
“As a conveyancer, thank you,” she says. “Thank you for creating such a positive and cohesive environment for conveyancers to come together and have a voice in what can sometimes be an uncertain market.”
After 25 years, that collective voice remains as important as ever.