Vincents’ new head of conveyancing appointed

Talitha Murphy has been appointed head of conveyancing at law firm Vincents Solicitors.

Talitha has been with the firm for almost five years and also heads up the firm’s Longridge office.

An improvement in the housing market across Lancashire, substantial instructions coming through from the London market, and an increase in the firm’s residential client base has also required the recruitment of additional specialists in the last year, with four on board and another four sought.

Across the board, Vincents’ conveyancing work is up 49 per cent on the same time last year. Co-ordinating conveyancing work across the business, Talitha will also be responsible for overseeing a recruitment drive to bring in a team of junior conveyancers who will be trained internally.

Talitha said: “In the North West the housing recovery is well underway and leading to huge demand for qualified conveyancers to support the growth. It has been a gradual, sustainable rise, with pre-recession prices and volume not too far off. This is down to homebuyers, often second or third time movers, responding to the more confident market and who now have the appetite and the ability to make the move.

"Schemes like Help to Buy are playing a part in that but it is more that mortgages and interest rates are better. Even in the last three years we’ve seen typical rates improve by around 2, 2.5 per cent which is much more conducive to positive growth, and is a factor in the increased growth we’ve seen.

“The biggest challenge the industry faces is getting enough trained and experienced staff to cover the workload. During the recession many firm’s conveyancing departments all but disappeared, leaving staff the choice of retraining or leaving the profession altogether. As the market gears back up, raising confidence that the market is back and busy will be important for recruitment. At Vincents, we’ve taken the option to train our own, with para legals, trainees and law graduates working with experienced conveyancers, and to this end have launched a programme of recruitment.”

Talitha attended university in Preston, before moving to the College of Law in Chester for her LPC, going on to complete her training contract on the south coast and qualifying as a solicitor in 2003. She worked in London - and has retained a number of clients from that time - before moving back to her hometown Longridge in 2007. Talitha played a key role in opening the Longridge office in 2009, which she now heads.

Phillip Gilmore, Vincents managing partner, said: “This is an extremely well deserved promotion and recognises Talitha’s hard work and achievements over the last four years. It is also a necessary appointment as this market increases we are implementing a growth strategy across the business. Vincents’ conveyancing instructions have gone up 49 per cent year-on-year reflecting the improvement in the county’s housing market and Vincents taking additional market share. Talitha’s own workload has increased by 44 per cent, which is a phenomenal achievement. She is passionate about conveyancing and, working with each of the regional offices, we’re looking forward to her leading the recruitment and development of the service across the business.” Headquartered at Winckley Square in Preston, Vincents Solicitors has six regional offices in Garstang, Longridge, Knott End, Penwortham, Colne and Lytham. Vincents has ambitious expansion plans which saw a 20 per cent growth in turnover in 2013 to over £4m, and an increase in fee-earning staff across the business by 25 per cent in the last year.