Solicitor vs Conveyancer: What Is the Difference and Which One Do You Need?

What a conveyancer does

A licensed conveyancer is a professional who specialises in the transfer of property. They are trained and licensed specifically for conveyancing work, which includes reviewing contracts and vendor statements, handling settlement, and attending to the transfer of title.

For a typical residential purchase or sale, a conveyancer covers everything you need.

What a solicitor does

A solicitor is a qualified lawyer who can do conveyancing as well, but whose training goes much wider. A property lawyer can advise on matters that sit outside the mechanics of a standard settlement, such as a dispute with the other party, a problem with the title, a contract that needs to be negotiated or specially drafted, or a purchase tied up with a trust, a company, a deceased estate or a family law issue.

If something goes wrong, or the transaction has moving parts beyond a simple buy and sell, a lawyer can advise and act on the legal issue itself, beyond running the conveyancing.

When a conveyancer is enough

For most standard transactions, a licensed conveyancer is perfectly suited to the job. That includes buying or selling an established home, a straightforward apartment, or vacant land where the title is clean and the contract is standard.

• Buying or selling an established house or unit
• A clean title with no disputes or unusual encumbrances
• A standard contract of sale with ordinary conditions
• No trust, company or estate complications

When you want a property lawyer

Some transactions benefit from legal training from the outset. Consider a lawyer where the deal is more complex, or where you are likely to need advice as well as a well-run settlement.

• Off-the-plan purchases with long settlement periods and sunset clauses
• Buying or selling through a trust, company or self-managed super fund
• A property being sold as part of a deceased estate
• A dispute over the contract, a caveat, or the boundary
• A purchase connected to a family law or business matter

The best of both

Orange Legal Group is a law firm, which means you get the benefit of legal expertise on every file, at fixed-fee conveyancing prices. For a standard purchase you get an efficient, well-run settlement. If something unexpected comes up, whether a title issue, a difficult vendor or a dispute, you already have a property lawyer across your matter rather than having to start again with someone new.

That is a practical advantage. The cost of a problem is almost always lower when a lawyer spots it early.