Life as a residential conveyancing trainee

As my time in the residential conveyancing seat has concluded, it seems fitting to reflect upon what I have learnt, what the team is like and provide some tips to any trainees navigating working in a residential conveyancing team.

What is the residential conveyancing team like at Cripps?

Our residential conveyancing team has recently been shortlisted for ‘Residential Property Team of the Year’ in the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2025, with a tier 1 ranking in legal leading directory Chambers for Agriculture & Rural Affairs. As a trainee, I have had the opportunity to gain experience in high quality work in a variety of areas concerning residential conveyancing.

The residential team sits within the wider private client division. This means that we are also asked to assist on the private client issues that emerge in the matters of life for families, individuals, trustees and family offices that the wider department specialises in.

We have quite an even proportion of partners to associates, with slightly more juniors. This gives the team a breadth of different levels of expertise and experience but also greatly assists with the collaborative environment where colleagues are always ready to help. Fortnightly meetings between our London and Tunbridge Wells offices keep everyone informed about the current workload and capacity, what each person is working on and recent legal developments.

What type of work are you exposed to?

At Cripps, the caseload typically includes a variety of sales and purchases, each at different stages of the transaction. I have also assisted on matters relating to remortgages, family transfers, granting new leases, lease extensions and tenancy advice. Being a residential conveyancing trainee has given me the opportunity to attend client meetings, run files independently from start to finish (under supervision) and learn how to keep everyone updated and manage expectations.

We also specialise in the sale and purchase on high value residential properties with a particular focus on country property and farms and estates. The diverse range of issues we are asked to advise on ensures that we are consistently tackling new and unfamiliar challenges, keeping our work engaging and dynamic. When you think you are becoming familiar with the work and the process of the transactions, a new query emerges that challenges everyone. The enjoyment lies in workout out what exactly the client needs and determining how to deliver the best solution.

Top tips for success as a trainee in a residential conveyancing team

1. Stay organised – it is important to stay on top of your inbox and keep your calendar up to date with all important dates, particularly if you are leading exchanges and completions. Developing strong matter management habits early in your training contract will benefit you throughout its duration and be valuable to the team members you assist.
2. Don’t be afraid to use the phone – a lot of clients like to speak to someone; it saves an unnecessary email and people will usually be grateful you made the effort to reach out to them!
3. Take control of your training contract and look for opportunities – at Cripps, we receive a ‘trainee checklist’ outlining the tasks and areas you can expect to engage in. By highlighting areas of specific interest to your supervisor, you can ensure a diverse workload that gives you a real insight into your potential legal career path post-qualification. Additionally, by demonstrating enthusiasm, there can be the opportunity to manage your own cases.

My number one top tip for any trainees coming into a residential conveyancing seat would be to embrace not knowing everything and get stuck in. This has been my first seat, so I came into it unprepared for the fast-paced nature of the work and the high level of client contact. The longer I stayed in the team, however, the more I came to realise that if you buy into the collaborative nature of the team and get involved in interacting with clients, being a trainee in the residential conveyancing department is a brilliant place to be in the firm.

If you are interested in becoming a trainee at Cripps, please look at the ‘Graduates and students’ section of our website for more information.