A Practical Guide to Document Signing and Electronic Signatures for Conveyancers – 2nd Edition

Second Edition – Fully updated including HMLR PG 82

‘A Practical Guide to Document Signing and Electronic Signatures for Conveyancers’ has been written by Lorraine Richardson, an experienced property solicitor and legal trainer. This is a book by a conveyancer for conveyancers. This second edition has been fully updated to include HMLR’s introduction of Practice Guide 82 and considers HMLR’s requirements for the acceptance of conveyancer-certified electronic signatures on deeds submitted for registration. The book outlines where we are in terms of the law on signing contracts and deeds and focusses on the issues that conveyancing firms will need to consider if they are going to adopt conveyancer-certified electronic signatures.

‘I have tried to do some of the thinking about risk and ask the questions about conveyancer-certified electronic signatures and platform providers so that conveyancers don’t have to’.

Lorraine provided ideas and feedback to HM Land Registry on the sections about electronic signatures in Practice Guide 8, much of this material now appearing in Practice Guide 82. Emily d’Albuquerque, Deputy Director, Central Legal Services, HM Land Registry, said: ‘I am grateful for Lorraine’s very substantial help when we were developing our practice regarding electronic signatures and Practice Guide 8. She made many suggestions as to how we might improve the Practice Guide and provided possible wording: we adopted most of Lorraine’s suggestions and much of her wording.’

The Conveyancing Companion Series

This Practical Guide is part of a series of books that Lorraine is writing on a wide range of topics on the conveyancing process. The books are aimed at practitioners working in busy conveyancing departments who need a quick reference guide, but will also support those taking professional examinations such as the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, Cilex and Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lorraine Richardson is an experienced property solicitor and trainer who is a popular conference and CPD speaker. Lorraine is now freelance but when in practice she ran a branch office and was a partner and the COLP for her firm.

She also designs and delivers property and legal skills related courses and online materials including Conveyancing Quality Scheme training for the Law Society.

Lorraine has developed a skill for writing and delivering webinars and aims to produce work that is both interesting and accessible for the viewer. Lorraine is the major writer for the monthly update journal for practitioners, the ‘Practical Lawyer.’

Lorraine has set up her own company, Adapt Law Limited, and offers property related courses and webinars and a membership scheme for firms to access her webinars and personalised conveyancing training.

CONTENTS

Introduction
Chapter 1 – What Is a Signature?
Chapter 2 – The Contract and Deeds in Conveyancing
Chapter 3 – HMLR Acceptance of Electronic Signatures on Deeds – Mercury Signatures
Chapter 4 – HMLR Acceptance of Electronic Signatures on Deeds – Conveyancer-Certified Electronic Signatures
Chapter 5 – Relevant Case Law
Chapter 6 – Risk Management
Chapter 7 – The Future
Appendix – Resources