Conveyancing firms risk undermining the benefits of artificial intelligence unless they address weaknesses in their existing processes and introduce clear strategies for its use, industry experts have warned.

Discussions at InfoTrack’s Digital Conveyancing Summit in London highlighted concerns that firms are adopting AI tools without sufficient oversight, potentially exposing themselves to operational, regulatory and data security risks.

The warnings follow findings from the 2026 Digital Conveyancing Maturity Index, which suggest that the profession’s growing use of technology has not been matched by a consistent approach to AI implementation.

Although the index recorded an improvement in law firms’ digital maturity scores from 54.4% in 2024 to 59.8% in 2026, AI adoption remains fragmented. Some 69% of respondents described their use of AI as individual experimentation, while 18% reported implementation across a team and 14% said the technology had become standard practice.

Almost 500 lawyers and technology specialists attended the biennial summit, held at The Minster Building, where discussions examined the implications of automation for conveyancing operations, professional responsibilities and regulatory compliance.

STRATEGY BEFORE AUTOMATION

A recurring concern was that introducing AI into inefficient or disconnected workflows could reinforce existing problems rather than resolve them.

Speakers argued that firms should first address poor-quality data, fragmented systems and inefficient processes before attempting to automate substantial parts of their operations.

Rich Hill, chief technology officer at InfoTrack, said: “Firms are increasingly embracing technology. Much of this is because the cost of using it, which has historically been a barrier to adoption, is coming down.

“Firms also need to be at the crest of change rather than waiting for everyone else to move first. But the technology itself isn’t necessarily the difficult part – the challenge is putting a proper strategy and framework in place to allow everyone to use it with purpose, precision and productivity in mind.”

Angela Morreale-Devereaux, legal specialist at LawY, raised questions about whether firms were making effective use of the technology already available to them.

She said: “Some firms are really forward thinking about tech and want to train staff in everything that is available. But I’ve been speaking to lots of people who don’t know what to do with the tools…

“From a strategic point of view if you’re paying employees to spend a certain amount of time on the job, but they’re spending hours doing something AI can do in 10 minutes, then are you really getting value out of what you’re paying them?”

HUMAN OVERSIGHT AND DATA SECURITY

The summit also examined the limits of automation, particularly where professional judgement, client relationships and risk assessment remain central to conveyancing work.

Peter Ambrose, managing director at The Partnership, cautioned against relying too heavily on claims made by technology suppliers.

He said: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you have a software vendor who says it can do everything for you, don’t listen. Some things humans need to do.”

Data security emerged as another concern, with firms warned about the potential consequences of employees using general-purpose AI systems without appropriate controls over confidential client information.

Sam Jordan, chief operating officer at InfoTrack UK, said: “Conveyancers are on the whole embracing AI. The challenge now is to shift away from individual experimentation to a more coordinated, firmwide approach underpinned by a clear AI strategy…

“Problems occur when people use technology that isn’t designed for conveyancing or legal practice. If you’re letting people use any kind of AI, client data can end up disappearing into open models. Purpose-built software is the way forward.”

FRAUD AND REGULATORY SCRUTINY

The increasing sophistication of identity fraud was identified as a further challenge for conveyancers, particularly as generative AI makes it easier to create convincing false identities and manipulate digital verification processes.

Paul Clements, product manager at InfoTrack, said: “For decades, identity fraud in property transactions meant a forged signature, a stolen passport, or literally someone in a bad wig sitting across the table. It was analogue, clumsy, and detectable by an aware conveyancer.

“Today’s fraudster doesn’t need to leave home. Generative AI can clone a face, a voice, and a signature well enough to pass a video call or a document check and do it at scale.”

Delegates also discussed the prospect of increasingly data-driven regulatory supervision, with firms encouraged to improve their ability to manage, govern and report on information.

Steve Brett, founder of E3 compliance training, emphasised the importance of constructive engagement with regulators, saying they “understand the challenges” and adding that “we don’t want an ‘us and them’ type situation.”

The summit’s wider programme included contributions from Gajendra Gupta, head of pricing and commercial management, savings and insurance at Barclays; Sammy Pahal, managing director at the UK PropTech Association; and Matt Thomas, product manager at HM Land Registry.

Sessions covered digitalisation across the property and financial services sectors, including post-completion inefficiencies and the implications of changing regulatory expectations.

Jordan argued that improvements to conveyancing should be introduced progressively rather than through attempts to overhaul established processes in a single exercise.

He said: “There are lots of people who say conveyancing is broken, but there are over a million property transactions a year. Change is needed buy you have to start from where you are – if you try to change everything at once, you won’t change anything at all.”