What’s the difference between Conveyancer and a Property Lawyer in NSW?
The Distinctions Between a Conveyancer and a Property Lawyer in NSW
When buying or selling property in New South Wales, most people will engage a professional to guide them through the conveyancing process. Two common options are a licensed conveyancer or a property lawyer (solicitor).
As a firm with a property law department that has both lawyers and conveyancers working together, one of the most common questions that we are asked is what is the difference between a conveyancer and a property lawyer?
While both can assist with property transactions, there are important differences in their training, scope of advice, and the types of matters they can handle.
What Does a Conveyancer Do?
A conveyancer is a property professional who specialises in the legal process of transferring ownership of property and who has appropriate licensing with NSW Fair Trading.
Their role is focused on managing the conveyancing process from ‘start to finish’ for property transactions.
A conveyancer’s role is generally limited to the process of the conveyance. Conveyancers generally do not provide broader legal advice, act in legal disputes, or represent clients in further legal proceedings.
What Does a Property Lawyer Do?
A property lawyer (also known as a solicitor) is a qualified legal practitioner who has been admitted to practice law in NSW.
Property lawyers can carry out all conveyancing work, but they are also able to provide broader legal advice where a property transaction involves additional legal complexity or risk.
In addition to standard conveyancing, a property lawyer can assist with:
- Complex or high‑value transactions
- Commercial, retail and industrial leasing
- Off‑the‑plan purchases and development matters
- Property disputes (including boundary, easement or contract issues)
- Transfers involving deceased estates, trusts or family law arrangements
- Legal representation in court or tribunals
Because property lawyers are trained across multiple areas of law, they can advise where a property matter overlaps with other legal issues.
Common Myths about Conveyancers and Property Lawyers
- Conveyancers and property lawyers do exactly the same thing - While both can carry out conveyancing in NSW, their scope of work is different. Conveyancers predominantly focus on the process of transferring property ownership, whereas property lawyers can also provide broader legal advice and assist where a transaction involves legal complexity or disputes.
- You only need a property lawyer if something goes wrong - Property lawyers are often engaged at the outset of a transaction. Early legal advice can help identify and manage risks before problems arise.
- Property lawyers are more expensive – Some property lawyers, like our firm, have fixed fee conveyancing costs which are competitive having regard to the overall conveyancing market.
The Marsdens Difference
Since the establishment of the firm, both John and Jim Marsden have employed both lawyers and conveyancing staff to ensure that all of our client’s needs and requirements are catered for.
Over the past 58 years, Marsdens have developed a specialist property law department which contains four (4) accredited specialist property lawyers, along with property lawyers and conveyancing staff who have over 30 years of experience. We are also located in multiple locations across Sydney.
This means that we can provide expert advice in all aspects to our clients, whilst remaining more than competitive from a pricing perspective.
The Next Steps
Property transactions are significant financial decisions, often the most significant financial decision that an individual can make. Engaging the right professional at the outset can help avoid delays, unexpected costs, and legal issues later on.
We would be more than happy to act for you in respect of any conveyancing transaction that you may have, both now or in the future.
Please contact our office on (02) 4626 5077 to speak with a member of our property team to discuss further.
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