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There are just 2 weeks left until tmgroup’s National Conference “Risky Business: Cyber Crime in the Property Transaction” takes place in London. 

Held at the Institution of Engineering and Technology on Thursday 23rd February 2017, this free full-day event will focus on the challenges of cyber security and how law firms can better protect themselves from a cyber-attack.

There are limited spaces left, so please register while you can to avoid disappointment. 

Click here to register

80% of conveyancing solicitors were "definitely more worried about security and risk of fraud in 2016" compared to 2015

“Risky Business: Cyber Crime in the Property Transaction” was developed in response to recent tmgroup survey findings, which revealed that approximately 80% of conveyancing solicitors were "definitely more worried about security and risk of fraud in 2016" compared to 2015.

With this in mind, tmgroup have invited a panel of experts – including the National Police Chiefs' Council's National Cyber PROTECT Coordinator – to discuss a broad range of cyber security challenges, and ensure that all attendees leave the event in a stronger position to safeguard both themselves and their clients. 

A variety of expert speakers will address both technology and people risks

In addition to the 3 interactive roundtable discussions, a diverse panel of 5 expert speakers will be presenting on both the technology and the people risks which law firms need to be aware of in order to effectively protect their best interests.

The full Agenda of seminars features:

Graeme McGowan (BeCyberSure) – “Cyber Security: 2017 and beyond”

Graeme will be looking at some of the current cyber security risks law firms need to be aware of, as well as explaining the huge impact the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) could potentially have on law firms.

Matthew Newton (Oosha Ltd) – “Cyber crime - Dealing with the undeniable threat”

Matthew will focus on helping attendees understand more about cyber crime; specifically looking at why increased IT complexity is good for cyber criminals, and the latest considerations relating to Professional Indemnity insurance and cloud technologies.

Jeremy Swinfen Green (Teiss and Mosoco) – “Cyber Security - Managing third party supplier risks”

Jeremy will be discussing how to reduce the risk of having a third party (such as a business partner, contractor, or customer) who has access to your IT systems acting as a bridge for hackers. 

Mark Payne (Infosec Cloud) – “Cyber Security – How your frontline team can help protect your firm against cyber attacks”

Mark will primarily be discussing the sophistication of modern-day phishing emails – sharing a variety of real-life examples – and explaining how to help your team recognise them before they accidentally trigger a major security incident. 

National Police Chiefs' Council's National Cyber PROTECT Coordinator – “Cyber crime – How to respond to an attack and support your team in preventing future cyber security incidents”

The speaker panel will also be joined by the National Police Chiefs' Council's National Cyber PROTECT Coordinator, who will be explaining how to respond to a cyber incident; touching on key areas such as Law Enforcement capability (national to local) and reporting to Action Fraud. 

Event details

This free-to-attend event will be held at: Maxwell Library, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL.

However, there are now only a limited number of places left, so if you and your colleagues would like to join us on Thursday 23rd February 2017, please click here to register and secure your place.

5 CPD points will be available.

Click here for more information

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Gina Bolger on Gina.Bolger@tmgroup.co.uk, or 01793 714905

Research has shown that just 1 in 10 clients choose a conveyancing solicitor based on who offers the cheapest fee; meaning 9 out of 10 clients are swayed on other factors.

Throughout our 2016 CPD series ‘Because You’re Worth It’, we spoke to a number of conveyancing solicitors about the initiatives they’ve tried to differentiate their client experience.

Here are 4 value-added services some firms are already offering to differentiate their client experience…

1. A drop in service for first-time buyers

Giving first time buyers the opportunity to drop in and ask any questions they may have can help to reassure them of the process to follow.

It can also help them to put a face to a name and establish a stronger personal relationship with their appointed solicitor, as well as clear up any confusion that could cause time-consuming issues at a later date.

This service doesn’t have to be available all day, every day, but advertising a few hours in your week (where you can afford a bit of disruption) might just mean the world to your clients.

2. Staying open during lunchtime

There are still a number of firms that close for a whole hour for lunch, making it challenging for both other solicitors and their clients to contact them. 

This is especially impractical for clients who may work nearby and only have their own lunch hour free to make appointments or phone calls.

Being able to advertise that clients can easily get in touch with you during their lunchbreak will help to set you aside from your competitors.

This change in opening hours can be achieved through a staggered lunchtime system, with fee-earners starting their lunch at different times between 12 noon and 2pm; so someone is always in the office.

3. Last minute “out of hours” appointments

Between work, childcare, and other commitments, it can be difficult for clients to find the time to sign important paperwork during typical office hours.

Offering a flexible service, where clients can make arrangements out of hours at short notice to come into the office, can help prevent unnecessary delays as you near completion.

This works particularly well if you have one or two fee-earners living near the office, as it won’t be too much of an inconvenience for them to occasionally nip across at 8.30pm to briefly meet a client.

4. Opening every Saturday morning as standard

Some firms have started to open every Saturday morning (9am – 12 noon) as standard, to offer a more convenient service to their clients.

While this will require some disruption to your typical working week, you may find these changes suit some of your fee-earners.

For example, those with young children may be happy to pick up the weekend shift if it means they can finish slightly earlier Monday to Friday.

Marketing Director, Ben Harris, comments:
“It is becoming increasingly important for conveyancing solicitors to focus on more than just price when it comes to attracting new clients. As these examples suggest, some firms are already rising to the challenge and offering value-added services that set themselves apart from their competitors.”

“It is important to add however, that adding these services as a stand-alone exercise isn’t enough to secure new business. Firms also need to be doing more to advertise that these value-added options are available, during initial telephone enquiries and on the company website.”

Ben Harris

Ben is tmgroup’s Marketing Director. He joined tmgroup in 2012 and has worked in the property profession his entire career.

 

Are you tired of feeling compelled to lower your fees to try and keep up with your competitors?

Join us in Portsmouth on Thursday 6th October to find out how you can keep your fees and maybe even consider raising them – without losing your competitive edge!

Click here to register

tmgroup’s 2016 “Because Your Worth it” CPD programme has been running successfully across the summer, with well-attended events in Birmingham, Bristol and (most recently) Manchester.

Through a series of expert-led presentations, these structured CPD sessions have been finding solutions to some of the commercial business challenges facing the industry, including:

• Do clients really just care about the price?
• How do I convert more telephone prospects into clients?
• How do I guarantee that my clients will refer my services?

These CPD sessions have also opened the debate to attendees; and provided valuable opportunities for peer-led discussion about the trials and errors of different initiatives.

Portsmouth is your last chance this year to find out why your firm really is worth it

With our 2016 CPD programme now drawing to a close, our Portsmouth event on Thursday 6th October will be your last chance this year to find out how to increase your fees and still deliver a competitive service offering!

Click here to register

tmgroup have announced a unique CPD series that aims to help conveyancers understand why 'they're worth it'. Register >

tmgroup are on a mission to help conveyancers claim what is rightfully theirs, with a new events programme called ‘Because You’re Worth It.’

The programme is designed to help conveyancers to ensure that their client sees the value in the service they offer, from setting up new business relationships through to demonstrating the breadth of support and knowledge you bring when helping them buy the right property.

The sessions will stress the importance of firms using their in-house expertise to maximise their customer service as well as ensuring they market their services effectively by communicating their unique values. Just 1 in 10 home movers chose the conveyancer that quoted the cheapest fees last year, so it would appear that conveyancing clients understand what represents value for money and are certainly willing to pay for what they consider to be good service.

Indeed, in a competitive sector with many challengers, traditional law firms are in a great position to understand what clients want and how they can present themselves attractively to win more business and improve service to keep clients happy and tmgroup have created this programme to help conveyancing firms do just that.

Sales & marketing director at tmgroup, Ben Harris said:
“We are passionate about making sure that conveyancers understand how to communicate their value to prospective clients and then prove this through every interaction with a client. We’re delighted to bring this exciting and unique CPD programme to conveyancers in which our experts will arm them with the tools they need to assess their current position and make the most of the opportunity.”

With experts from across the sector, the first seminars will take place on June 22nd and 23rd in Birmingham and Bristol with more to follow later in the year.

Learn more and register

TM Group has begun its programme of regional conveyancing CPD sessions around the UK, featuring a range of expert industry speakers.

Entitled ‘Driving & Adapting to Change’, the series of five regional events showcases content from TM Group’s national conveyancing conference of the same name, which took place in April 2015 at RIBA in central London.

The first two events of the roadshow, in Maidstone & Nottingham, boasted a 100% recommendation rate from delegates and the remaining 3 events promise equally informative and engaging sessions, with each focussing on the small changes that conveyancers can make that will have a big impact on their businesses.

The expert guest speakers are charged with providing three useful tips in quick-fire sessions designed to help time-poor conveyancers get the most out of their CPD.

What sets these events apart is that delegates get to set the agenda. With interactive roundtable sessions, conveyancers ask the questions that they want answered and can get their voices heard in small peer groups.

With practicality in mind, opportunities for downtime spaced strategically throughout the day, give conveyancers the chance to digest information or catch up on emails over a coffee.

Topics covered:
• How to stay responsive to changes in legislation
• Managing risk
• Dealing with ever-more demanding consumers
• Reputation management
• New business conversion
• Attracting and retaining the best talent.

Next stop is in Bristol at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Thursday 22nd October.

Click on the links below to register:

Bristol - 22nd Oct
Bradford - 28th Oct
Chester - 29th Oct

TM Group has announced a programme of regional conveyancing CPD sessions around the UK, featuring a range of expert industry speakers. 

Entitled ‘Driving & Adapting to Change’, the series of five regional events showcases content from TM Group’s national conveyancing conference of the same name, that took place in April 2015 at RIBA in central London. (see video below)

The conference in April formed part of TM Group’s continuing commitment to conveyancers’ professional development and was particularly well received, with more than 96% of delegates stating that they would recommend the training to a friend or colleague.

Now being brought to conveyancers in five different regions, each event focuses on the small changes that conveyancers can make that will have a big impact on their businesses. The expert guest speakers are charged with providing three useful tips in quick-fire sessions designed to help time-poor conveyancers get the most out of their CPD sessions.

Comprising two different approaches to managing the constantly-evolving property transaction, the format also helps shed light onto the inherent risks and opportunities in a conveyance.

The first session seeks to inform conveyancers how they can adapt to changes in legislation, continue to satisfy the ever increasing demands of the consumer and remain responsive to new risks as they present themselves.

In the second session, the speakers will show conveyancers how they can take a more proactive approach to change by embracing new ideas and technology to get ahead of the competition.

This session will include talks on reputation management, new business conversion, and attracting and retaining the best conveyancing talent.

One of the unique aspects of these events is that each one will feature interactive roundtables to be held at the end of both sessions. The roundtables offer delegates the chance to build upon the speakers’ talks, gaining a better understanding of the issues and having a platform to exchange views and experiences with their peers.

Expert speakers from across the property industry include: Ray Fox (Bottom Line Consultancy), Nicky Stevenson (Property Academy), Victor Olowe (Winzest Consulting), Chris Harris (Today's Conveyancer), Clare Yates (Lifetime Legal) and more.

Click on the links below to reserve your free place...

Maidstone
Thursday 24th September
Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel

Nottingham
Thursday 8th October
Colwick Hall Hotel

Bristol
Thursday 22nd October
Radisson Blu Hotel

Bradford
Wednesday 28th October
Cedar Court Hotel

Chester
Thursday 29th October
Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa

Thinking about your firm's training and development, are there any areas in which you think you need better support?

THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED

Last week, TM Group's national CPD conference for conveyancers, Driving & Adapting to Change, sought to identify small changes that could add up to big differences for law firms across the country.

Hosted at RIBA in central London, the day was separated into 3 sessions. The first focused on changes that conveyancers need to adapt to in order to remain competitive whilst the second session revealed ways in which forward-thinking conveyancers could drive change within their firm to get ahead of the competition.

Finally, the day was rounded off with a panel discussion on the use of technology in the legal profession. Throughout the day, delegates took to social media to spread the word and comment on the sessions as they happened.

Take a look at the day (in tweets)...

 Our speakers were keen to get started!

We're committed to your training and development - keep an eye out for future TM Group CPD events over the coming months.

The Brewers’ Hall, refurbished in 2011, is an oasis amongst the high rise modernity of the City of London. Image © Brewers Hall 2014

Brewers' Hall in Aldermanbury Square, London played host to the second live event of TM Group's 2014 Educational CPD Programme.

Packed full of insights into the environmental and planning issues that affect residential conveyancers, we presented talks from Brian Balkin of Lockton Companies, Dan Montagnani from GroundSure (who kindly sponsored the event), Keith Davidson from Elm Law, Loschinee Naidoo from Legal Eye, Jenny Owen of Lawyer Checker and Julian Sampson from Jet Convey.

Yesterday saw the first live CPD event of our educational programme, which was hosted by TM Group and Lockton Companies at Clifton Pavilion - a wonderful Victorian building that adjoins Bristol Zoo.

Property Law; A Risky Business was a complimentary CPD event designed to ruminate upon the forces at work in conveyancing that pose the biggest risks to your firm.

Our selection of expert speakers also offered advice on how to prevent and deal with those risks. The day was a complete success and indeed, some interesting early feedback from one of the delegates confirmed that the session had been "scarily useful!"