In this episode of the Today's Conveyancer podcast, host David Opie welcomes Gavin Burton, Co-founder and trainer at Beruku Knowledge, to discuss the evolving threats of identity fraud, deep fakes, and artificial intelligence in the legal sector. With a distinguished 26-year career in the Metropolitan Police, Gavin led a specialised team focused on ID fraud, making his insights into fraudulent identity documents invaluable.

The conversation explores the increasing availability of counterfeit documents online, the challenges law enforcement faces in tracking perpetrators, and how social media and encrypted messaging services facilitate fraud. Gavin details how criminals manipulate biometric chips and forge machine-readable zones to bypass security checks.

For legal professionals, this discussion underscores the importance of robust ID verification processes, technology-driven solutions, and ongoing awareness training to mitigate risks. Gavin highlights how regulators are imposing significant fines for anti-money laundering failures, reinforcing the need for vigilance in adapting to emerging threats.

His expertise offers a compelling case for leveraging advanced AI tools while understanding the limitations of physical document verification. This episode provides critical insights into fraud prevention, regulation, and technology in modern legal practice.

The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views.

Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA, Osprey Approach, and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

The latest podcast explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in conveyancing, focusing on its ability to enhance efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and improve risk management. Host David Opie is joined by Chris Harris, the founder of Collaborative Conveyancing, who shares insights into how AI-driven tools can streamline tasks such as document analysis, inquiry management, and property searches.

A key takeaway is the shift in client expectations, as AI enables faster information retrieval and response times. Clients are increasingly using AI to fact-check legal processes, which raises new challenges for conveyancers in maintaining trust and transparency.

The discussion delves into the ethical considerations and regulatory challenges surrounding AI adoption, emphasizing the importance of human oversight to mitigate risks such as misinformation and data security concerns. While AI can automate routine processes, the necessity for legal expertise remains crucial in complex property transactions.

Chris Harris presents real-world examples of AI applications, including automated inquiry handling and AI-driven voice assistants for conveyancing quotes. While AI will not replace conveyancers, it is poised to reshape workflows, allowing professionals to focus on complex legal matters rather than routine administrative tasks.

Ultimately, the conversation underscores that AI is not a threat but a tool that, when implemented responsibly, can empower conveyancers and enhance the property transaction process.

The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views.

Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA, Osprey Approach, and VacantC Legal Recruitment.

The latest Today's Conveyancer Podcast welcomes PJ Singh and George Levett of Conveyancer Plus to discuss how they are working with firms to help them manage their pipelines, and create a consistent pipeline of work, rather than become over-reliant on third part lead sources.

The discussion covers how using outsourced services can bring down complaints around communications (conveyancing is the most complained about areas of consumer of law), ensure consistency in pricing and process, which sets expectations accordingly at the outset of the relationship.

Interestingly, analysis of their service identifies the average call duration with a prospective client is over 8 minutes; and despite the array of communications options (instant messaging, email, live chat etc) George says 80% of enquiries prefer phone calls.

The result is a 95% conversion on estate agent and broker referrals (vs. industry average of 70–80%); near 30% conversion on comparison site leads (vs. typical 5–10%); and 60% conversion on website leads (vs. typical 30–40%).

Only by understanding your numbers in relation to live files and soon-to-be -completed matters can firms be proactive with their business development and ensure they are making data-driven decisions on workload and future bottlenecks.

PJ and George share their experience of working with firms to improve their conversion rates; not just from the point of view of direct engagement with clients, but also the lessons being learnt around what should be on firm's social media, what should be on their websites, and how consumers respond.

The Today's Conveyancer podcast can be found on your preferred podcast provider and also at www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk. Subscribe and listen in for all the latest conveyancing industry news and views.

Thank you to our podcast sponsors PEXA, Osprey Approach, and VacantC Legal Recruitment.