Conveyancing doesn’t have a recruitment problem. It has a capacity problem.
Summary
The article argues that residential conveyancing firms are facing a capacity shortage rather than a simple recruitment shortage, with practitioner numbers falling while transaction volumes recover. It says rising compliance and administrative burdens are leaving fee earners overstretched, and that firms need to improve support structures, technology and caseload management to retain staff and maintain service levels.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors rely on efficient conveyancing to keep transactions moving, so capacity constraints in law firms can contribute to delays and bottlenecks in the wider sales process. The piece also highlights how compliance demands and workflow inefficiencies are reshaping expectations across the property transaction chain.
Key points
- Conveyancer numbers in England and Wales have fallen by about 15% since 2021.
- Transaction volumes are recovering, increasing pressure on fewer practitioners.
- Administrative and compliance tasks are taking more time away from legal work.
- Firms are being urged to invest in support staff, technology and realistic caseloads.
- Retention improves when workload, flexibility and wellbeing are addressed.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
