The Evolution of Legal Tech and Workplace Productivity in Property Transactions – TNT

For decades, conveyancing has been characterised by manual processes, duplicated effort, and protracted communication. In today’s fast-paced and digitally connected world, there is consensus that this model is unsustainable. There is mounting pressure from clients for ever-better service, regulators for compliance improvements, and competitors for technical innovation.  

The conveyancing legal technology sector, which was once solely focused on case management, is now at the heart of a law firm CTO or partner’s agenda to enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and meet expectations. Thomas Maerz, CEO of tmGroup, considers the major advances and key tools that are making this happen.

The future of conveyancing lies in digitally integrated workflows, automated data collection, and collaborative platforms that streamline every stage of the transaction. Legaltech is rapidly redefining how property professionals operate, particularly in client onboarding, document handling, communication, and compliance.

Digital Onboarding and KYC Automation

One of the first and most critical steps in the conveyancing transaction, onboarding used to involve laborious manual checks for identity, anti-money laundering (AML), and source of funds. Clients would have to travel to offices with hard-copy documents and send items remotely via email or by post. Each of these are major loopholes for fraudsters to exploit.

We have seen huge strides to transform what is usually both a drain on resources to administer and a compliance minefield for the law firm.  Innovations include self-service biometric ID verification using smartphones, which are then matched to official records like the DVLA and the Passport Office. Bank data to prove source of funds can also be instantly accessed (with client authority). Solutions like tmVerify365 ensure that this is seamless, with minimum friction for the firm to use. At the same time, the equally laborious and multiple onboarding forms are now pre-configured and can be pre-filled in part to reduce the burden on the homebuyer or seller.

These not only reduce errors and time but also ensure that firms remain compliant with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and HM Land Registry’s Safe Harbour ID standards.

Automated Document Management and eSignatures

Much of a conveyancer’s time is traditionally spent preparing, reviewing, sending, and chasing documents. Contracts, TA forms, and SDLT submissions can all now be pre-filled using data already input during onboarding. eSignature solutions allow clients to sign contracts, terms of business, and transfer deeds remotely. This reduces turnaround time from days to hours. And with digital transfer processes well underway at HM Land Registry, the days of physical deeds and manual sends are long gone. SDLT and AP1 submissions are now all done at the touch of a button.

Traditional onboarding and management processes through the conveyance used to result in inch-thick manual files, high office print and scan costs and delays for postal replies. Now, the technical solutions, such as those provided by tmGroup, eliminate bottlenecks and increase caseload capacity without increasing headcount. The key is to free up fee earner time to be more productive and focused on the customer and the advice provided.

AI-Powered Due Diligence and Risk Assessment

We have started to see how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making inroads in property law. It’s important to ensure this isn’t some mirage or snake oil promise that it will incrementally move the dial on process efficiency. Law firm CTOs and partners need to ensure that any AI solutions trialled consider the wider integration and futureproofing pathway for their wider tech platforms and knowledge management, as well as reducing the operating footprint.   

There are several important avenues where AI can offer real promise for conveyancers. These include:  

+ Contract analysis: scan leases, title documents, and covenants for unusual clauses or risk factors, flagging items for review. 

+ Search result summarisation: extracting and summarising key findings from local authority and environmental search reports.  

+ Predictive analytics: analysing and identifying trend patterns based on past case data, as well as how they were processed and the decisions taken by fee earners or admin teams.  Common patterns, like delay points or where risk is elevated, can ensure more proactive management of both the customer and the care to smooth over wrinkles and enhance compliance.

This is not to negate human oversight, which is vital to ensure a personal service is provided and recognises that every property transaction comes with its own unique challenges, whether that is driven by human behaviour or local obscure bylaws. What AI can do, though, is set a standardised template within which to identify reductions in routine admin burdens and better automate risk detection.

Collaboration and Communication Tools

One of the biggest pain points in conveyancing is coordination between solicitors, estate agents, mortgage brokers, and clients. Legaltech is solving this by becoming more collaborative through shared workspace platforms, chat and breadcrumb updates to keep all stakeholders informed and aligned in real-time. 

In the future, centralised document hubs will become standardised so that all parties will be able to upload, view and download rewired documents, reducing email cross traffic and chasing, version control and visibility across all stakeholders in the transaction. Better communication means fewer delays, happier clients, and reduced risk of complaint or regulatory scrutiny.

Compliance and Audit Readiness

With regulators tightening AML and consumer protection requirements across conveyancing, compliance must be embedded into every step of the process. tmVerify365 enables automated compliance logs so that every ID check, document, and interaction is time-stamped and stored in an immutable audit trail. Real-time PEP and sanctions screening against global watchlists ensures compliance with international risk requirements, and last, but not least, using a secure, encrypted platform ensures alignment with GDPR best practices and data obligations on behalf of your client.

By integrating compliance into day-to-day workflows, conveyancers can avoid costly breaches and ensure regulatory peace of mind.

Conclusion

The future of conveyancing lies in embracing legal technology to transform traditional processes into efficient, client-friendly, and compliant workflows. From digital onboarding and AI-driven due diligence to cloud-based collaboration and real-time updates, technology is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s the foundation for modern conveyancing practice. Crucially, it is now at the heart of conversations that innovative and proactive firms are having about the future of their technology and operating platforms.  

The benefits are manyfold: Quicker, more efficient transactions, improved client experience and satisfaction, reduced operating footprint and overhead and, vitally, cloud-based futureproofed resilience and security.  Firms that integrate digital onboarding, search admin and submission solutions into their tech infrastructure now will be best placed to thrive in a competitive and rapidly evolving property market.

Thomas Maerz is CEO of tmGroup