Conveyancer Tiegan joined Evolve Law as an assistant straight from university just over two years ago. We spoke to her about that process, why she chose to enter the legal profession, the office culture at Evolve, and how it shapes the technology-driven processes that Evolve uses to stay ahead of the competition.
Why conveyancing?
I did want to be a solicitor from a young age. I didn’t really understand at the time what it was, but I always had it in my mind. And when I went to university, I really enjoyed the property law module and the theoretical application of it. I wanted to look for firms that specialised in property so that I could get a bit more of that experience.
I knew that I wanted to be client-facing, but not confrontational like in a courtroom setting. The biggest thing for me was that I really enjoyed the process of buying my own home and being supported by the team here. It was great.
It’s nice to be a part of a big life experience for clients, knowing that you’ve helped and you’ve made it a bit easier. There are so many preconceptions around conveyancing being stressful for clients, so it’s nice knowing that you’ve made it a bit easier for people who have a lot going on.
How did you join Evolve?
It was through a recruiter. I wanted to find somewhere where I could see my career progressing, where there was going to be the opportunity for me to learn. I knew that I was coming in with the basics, so I was well-prepared to do the admin as a conveyancing assistant. They said, “We have a company that we think is in line with what you’re looking for.” They wanted someone at entry level, so I went for an interview. I wanted to know that there were going to be opportunities and support for training and development, and that’s a massive thing here.
In my interview we discussed targets and levels that you can work towards, the different training opportunities, and how the training reviews work. This is something that has genuinely been applied, and throughout my employment it has been consistent. I spoke to Marc during my interviews, and he was really friendly and quite open about who they already had in the office, how they had progressed, and what they had come in for, so it was nice knowing that there were other people here who had done a similar thing: graduated university, came in at entry level, and progressed.
What was your first day like?
I was nervous. I remember knocking on the door, and Rebecca (who is our Head of Conveyancing now) answered. I just felt so out of place, but she sat me down and said someone would come out, and it was really friendly. That’s when I met Elaine and Marc.
They take the time on your first day, and they still do it now when we have new people, to go through everything to make sure you’re happy. Like your desk and chair, and all the basics you don’t think about. It’s quite nice.
You get a lot of support from the senior management team to check that you’re feeling comfortable; you’ve got an idea of what’s going to be expected of you and how to use the case management system. This was the first time I was dealing with emails in such a quantity, and it was great to know there was support there to talk about it.
It’s been like that throughout and is still there now. If I wanted to have a bit more of a technical discussion about something that I was drafting for the first time: transfer deeds, deeds of trust, deeds of variation, bits like that. That’s when I would arrange an appointment with Training and Development, and they would get it booked in about 48 hours, and you would get that support.
What is the culture like in the office?
There is very much this attitude that if someone has less work on and they’ve got capacity, they’re more than happy to step in for a colleague. It’s never a case of “you’re busy, I’m just going to take a voicemail message for you, and you can call the client back”. Everyone in the office is always more than happy to help, and I think there’s a real focus on client experience. You want the best for the client, even if it’s not your one that’s on the phone. They are a client of the firm, so really they are all your clients.
You don’t ever feel like you’re on your own. There’s always someone who’s more than happy to help. There’s always someone who will sit and give you the time of day and give you advice on bits that you’re stuck on. For me, that was a big thing development-wise – there’s always someone who’s going to be there to support you and assist you with the bits that you do need assistance with.
What does Evolve expect from employees?
A positive attitude is a big thing. There’s a lot of thought in the office about mental health and making sure that everyone is looking after themselves, but also being aware of what other people will be going through. We place ourselves in the client’s shoes and ask ourselves, “Can you see why they feel this way towards the situation? Can you understand their frustrations?”.
I do think client experience is a massive thing here. It’s a service-based industry, and we do want the best for the client, but there are still the lines of, “When does there come a point where it’s a bit too much?” There’s not a sacrifice of your own wellbeing for the sake of the client. It’s quite nicely balanced, if that makes sense.
How do you see your future at Evolve?
Eventually I’d like to go into more of a technical role, potentially on the title check team, dealing with the review of the legal documents, and working primarily on reporting. I really love the client-facing aspect at the moment, and I’ve just started fee earning, so I’m still finding my feet there.
I like challenging myself, and I like making sure that I’ve got something to work towards. Eventually, I’d like to do lease extensions and deed variations, and the more technical elements, which some of the teams don’t really do.
I’ve been able to balance work with my CLC qualifications as I worked towards becoming a licensed conveyancer. This is something that I initially spoke to Evolve about, and I thought it might just be something that they’d support outside of work in terms of advice and help with studying, but they have been really great with it. If there’s any particular kind of seminar or webinar I want to attend that are in the work hours, there’s no issue with that.
How have Evolve supported you through the training and qualification process?
They’re really supportive. I’ve done my exams during work hours in the office, and that was a three-hour slot, so they let me use the meeting room for the afternoon to do it. I was able to take days off as study leave, and they’ve been really supportive in giving me the opportunity to take time to speak to them about certain elements or modules. And if there were others here doing the same courses, we could take time each week to go through our courses together. They facilitated that.
They are really supportive here, and there are other staff here who are going from assistant to Conveyancer. They have been given the opportunity to go on the course as well. They see it as an investment that they’re making, and that the time they’re taking to improve us will benefit the company long term.
Are you happy in your role?
Yes. When you look at it in perspective and consider all of the benefits that you do get and being a part of these lovely moments for clients, it does outweigh the stress that you go through at times. There’s a great support network here, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt overwhelmed to the point where I can’t speak to anyone or don’t know where to go.
That’s why I felt confident taking the next step and starting to take calls in my own name, because I didn’t feel as though I’m going to be abandoned. There’s a level of trust that they can give me this responsibility now, but that’s based on the fact that they know if I needed it, I would come back and ask for support.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
It has got to be completion day! When you have to give the clients a call to let them know that it’s all gone through, and they can pick up the keys. It’s always a really lovely moment. The clients are pleased, and it’s always positive. And usually it’s a Friday, so it’s a nice way to end the week. That’s definitely one of the biggest appeals of the job.
I do like working on the more technical files. I know that they are not the clients’ favourites, as they are usually the ones that take the most time to get through, but I do enjoy that as well.
How has the use of technology changed in your time at Evolve?
Within the last two years, the app has become a lot more useful. When I started, it was still in its early stages. It was for residential transactions as opposed to new-built ones. Now we’ve got new build files working on the app as well.
That’s great in terms of ID checks, protocol forms on sales, and also, clients can send messages via the app, and they pop into our emails so you don’t feel as if you’re prioritising clients who are emailing over clients that are using the app function. It still comes in in date order, and you can work through it just the same.
There’s a big desire for paperless working and its environmental benefits when we speak to clients, and we’re letting them know that we are trying to reduce the amount of paper in the office and documents that get posted. I think it’s good for clients in the long term as well, because when you’re using the portal and the app, the documents are there for about twelve years, and you can still access the files. There is a strong push within the office of being paperless, being technology-driven, and trying to encourage the clients to use the apps because it’s really a good little package for them.
How have you managed to retain a personal touch?
You want some sort of relationship, and I think sometimes if they do completely rely on the app and never pick up the phone, then you could risk losing touch with them, so we try to make sure that doesn’t happen. We do have clients that are a bit older and not very mobile, so we have visited them at their homes to go through ID checks with them or to meet with them in person and then take their passports to certify and bring it back.
You want people to be able to come to you and ask their questions. You want clients to be able to call you up and say, “I know it’s silly, but can I ask you this?” and it’s like, “No, it’s not silly,” because there are no silly questions.
