Both general solicitors and conveyancing solicitors work with legal documents, but that’s about where the similarities end. It’s like having a doctor that does everything and a heart surgeon. Both know medicine, but one focuses on your specific condition every day.
General solicitors can help with many different kinds of legal issues. They might have to deal with a divorce in the morning, a quarrel at work at lunch, and a will in the afternoon. They are skilled at being able to change. But they might not know as much about the weird bits of property law because they know so much about so many things. They will do the work, although it might take longer, and some niche traps might not be seen.
On the other hand, conveyancing experts are all about moving property from one owner to another. They know which councils take a long time to look up information. They can locate a dodgy clause in a contract before you’ve even finished your coffee. They know exactly how to avert bad things from happening to you on settlement day since they’ve seen them happen before.
One big difference is how quickly they move. Because conveyancing professionals only work with property, they have better ways of doing things that speed things up. General solicitors may need more time to look into things that a specialist could undertake in a few minutes.
How hazards are handled is another difference. Property deals could hide issues like unpaid taxes, easements, or zoning laws. A professional knows how to find problems early on. A general solicitor could still be able to find them, but only after putting in more effort.
In the end, it all comes down to what you need. They might be fine if your transaction is straightforward and you already have a general solicitor you trust. But if the stakes are high or the sale is difficult, a conveyancing professional can be your greatest defense. They help you stay focused, work quickly, and go deeper, which is exactly what you need when your biggest investment is at stake.