Why Are Experienced Conveyancers Becoming Harder to Recruit?
If you’re a law firm currently trying to recruit an experienced conveyancer, you’ll probably already know one thing:
They are becoming harder to find — and even harder to secure.
As a specialist conveyancing recruiter, I’m seeing a noticeable shift in what experienced conveyancers are looking for from their next move.
It’s no longer simply about salary.
So, why is the experienced conveyancing talent pool becoming increasingly difficult to recruit from?
1. Burnout is having a real impact
Conveyancing has always been a fast-paced area of law, but the pressure on fee earners can be significant.
High transaction volumes, demanding clients, tight deadlines and the expectation to maintain productivity can all contribute to burnout.
I’m speaking to more experienced conveyancers who aren’t necessarily looking to leave conveyancing altogether, they are looking for a more sustainable way of working.
For some, that means a better work-life balance. For others, it’s reduced pressure, a more manageable caseload or a firm with a stronger support structure.
2. Caseloads matter
One of the biggest themes I’m hearing from candidates is caseload.
A higher salary can be attractive, but if it comes with an unmanageable caseload and constant pressure, candidates are increasingly asking themselves whether it’s actually worth it.
When candidates consider a new role, they’re asking questions such as:
- How many files will I be expected to manage?
- What level of support is available?
- What type of clients and transactions will I be dealing with?
- Are there realistic expectations around targets?
- What happens when workloads increase?
For firms recruiting experienced people, being able to clearly explain the caseload and expectations can make a huge difference.
3. Career progression is becoming increasingly important
Experienced conveyancers don’t necessarily want to remain in exactly the same role indefinitely.
For some, the next step is becoming a Senior Conveyancer or Team Leader.
For others, it’s moving into a managerial, technical or compliance-focused position.
Candidates are increasingly looking at the long-term opportunity, rather than simply asking, “What is the salary?”
They want to know:
Where can this role take me?
If a candidate has spent years developing their technical knowledge and experience, offering them a clear progression route can be just as important as the initial salary package.
4. Experienced fee earners are moving into technical and management roles
This is something I think we’re going to continue seeing across the sector.
After years of fee earning, some experienced conveyancers are looking for a change.
That doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the industry.
Instead, they’re moving towards roles where they can use their knowledge differently, whether that’s:
- Technical management
- Compliance
- Auditing
- Training
- Team management
- Quality assurance
- Operations
For firms looking specifically for experienced fee earners, this naturally reduces the pool of candidates available.
So, what does this mean for firms recruiting?
If you’re trying to attract experienced conveyancers, the salary alone isn’t enough anymore.
You need to be able to sell the whole opportunity.
What is the caseload?
What is the culture like?
What flexibility is available?
What support will they receive?
What progression is available?
And perhaps most importantly:
Why should an experienced conveyancer leave a role they’re already comfortable in to join you?
The best candidates are often not actively applying for jobs. They’re already employed, already experienced and potentially quite comfortable where they are.
That means firms need to give them a compelling reason to move.
From a recruitment perspective, the firms that are quickest to recognise this tend to be the ones that secure the strongest candidates.
The conveyancing talent pool is still there. But attracting experienced people requires a different approach to recruitment than it did a few years ago!
I’m always interested to hear from both sides of the market.
For conveyancers: what would make you consider leaving your current role?
For law firms: what are you finding most challenging when recruiting experienced conveyancers?
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