When recruiting conveyancers, caseload numbers are often part of the conversation. But does managing 100 files necessarily demonstrate more experience than managing 60?

Not necessarily.

Having specialised exclusively in property recruitment for a number of years now, I’ve found that the number alone rarely tells the full story. It’s often the structure of the team, the support available and the responsibilities involved in managing those files that give me a much clearer picture of someone’s experience and capabilities.

One of the things I find particularly interesting about working in property recruitment is how differently law firms can operate, even when they’re offering what initially look like very similar roles.

Take residential conveyancing, for example. When I’m speaking to candidates about their experience, the number of files they manage will often come up in conversation. It’s a useful starting point, particularly when trying to understand the volume of work they’re accustomed to handling.

But I’ve found that the number itself rarely gives you the full picture.

One solicitor might be managing 60–80 files, with dedicated onboarding and post-completion teams handling the beginning and end of each transaction. Another could be managing 80–100 files, supported by one or more assistants who work alongside them throughout the process.

Both are examples of structures I regularly encounter in the market, yet the responsibilities, working arrangements and day-to-day experiences of those solicitors could be quite different.

Neither arrangement is necessarily better, and the figures aren’t intended as benchmarks for what a conveyancer should be managing. However, they demonstrate why it’s worth looking beyond the headline number when discussing someone’s experience or assessing whether they would be suited to a particular role.

What does a conveyancing caseload actually tell you?

A conveyancer’s caseload provides an indication of the volume of matters they’re responsible for, but it doesn’t necessarily explain the complexity of those matters, how much support they receive or which parts of the transaction they personally manage.

Even the way firms measure caseloads can vary. Some may refer to the number of active files at a particular point in time, while others might focus on monthly completions or the volume of new instructions coming into a department.

Those distinctions matter, particularly when employers are comparing candidates or trying to understand how somebody’s existing experience might translate into a new role.

The type of work also makes a difference. A caseload consisting largely of relatively straightforward freehold sales and purchases may involve different demands from one containing more complex leasehold transactions, new-build properties or matters with unusual title issues.

It isn’t necessarily the case that managing more files means handling more complex work, just as a smaller caseload doesn’t automatically indicate a more specialist role.

In fact, the wider industry has begun questioning whether volume alone provides a meaningful measure of success. A September 2026 article in Legal Futures, drawing on an industry roundtable involving conveyancing professionals, explored the importance of looking beyond caseloads and completions when assessing performance.

The discussion considered client service, sustainable workloads and the way firms organise their resources, recognising that the number of matters handled is only one part of a much broader picture.

For me, that distinction is particularly relevant when it comes to recruitment too.

Different team structures create different experiences

There’s no single way to structure a successful conveyancing department, and firms will naturally organise their teams around their client base, workload, resources and commercial objectives.

Some operate with dedicated teams responsible for onboarding, initial checks and post-completion work. Others provide each fee earner with an assistant who supports them throughout the transaction, while smaller practices may require conveyancers to take greater ownership of the process from beginning to end.

These different approaches can influence the experience someone develops, even where their job title and length of service are similar.

For example, a solicitor working with a central onboarding team may spend more of their time reviewing title documentation, raising enquiries, advising clients and progressing matters towards exchange and completion.

Someone working in a smaller department might handle a broader range of activities personally, from initial client contact through to coordinating the final stages of a transaction.

Both professionals could bring valuable experience to a prospective employer, although their strengths may lie in different aspects of the conveyancing process.

What I find interesting is that these different approaches can work equally well, depending on the size of the department, the type of work involved and the support available. However, they can also create quite different experiences for the people working within those teams, which is why I think understanding the structure behind a caseload is so important when it comes to recruitment.

The important point is that team structure influences how people work, the responsibilities they take on and the skills they develop.

And when it comes to moving firms, those differences are worth understanding from the outset.

Why does this matter when recruiting conveyancers?

If a firm is looking to recruit an ‘experienced conveyancer’, it’s understandable that caseload management will feature in its requirements. Employers need confidence that a new colleague can manage the responsibilities of the role, maintain service standards and contribute effectively to the department.

However, asking how many files somebody currently manages may only answer part of that question.

Someone accustomed to handling 100 files with comprehensive administrative support may have developed excellent technical and transactional skills, but they might not have recent experience of managing every stage of a transaction independently.

Equally, a candidate managing a smaller number of files without dedicated support may have substantial experience of the full conveyancing process, alongside the demands of client communication and day-to-day administration.

Neither candidate should automatically be considered more or less capable because of the numbers involved.

The more useful question is how their experience aligns with the responsibilities and support arrangements of the vacancy.

Understanding the structure of the recruiting firm

I think this is just as important from the employer’s side too.

When a law firm is recruiting, we want to understand how its property department operates and what the successful candidate will be responsible for.

• Will they have dedicated administrative support?
• Are onboarding and post-completion handled centrally?
• Will they manage their own client relationships?
• Or work within a larger team where colleagues share certain responsibilities?

There may also be supervisory responsibilities to consider, particularly where a department includes junior fee earners, paralegals or legal assistants.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s guidance on effective supervision, updated in June 2026, recognises that appropriate supervision depends on factors including the nature of the work, the experience of those carrying it out and the support available.

That’s an important distinction. Firms can structure their teams in different ways, but they must still ensure that appropriate supervision and oversight are in place.

For recruitment purposes, understanding those arrangements helps build a clearer picture of the role and the type of experience that may be most relevant.

It also means candidates can make more informed decisions about whether a position offers the working environment, responsibilities and support they are looking for.

What should conveyancers include on their CV?

There’s a useful lesson here for candidates too.

When preparing a CV or discussing experience at interview, it’s perfectly reasonable to mention the number of files you manage. Employers will often want to know, and it can help establish the level of responsibility you’re accustomed to.

However, I would always encourage conveyancing professionals to provide some context around that figure.

For example, rather than simply stating that you manage 80 residential property files, explain whether those are active matters, what types of transactions they involve and which stages of the process you handle yourself.

It is also worth mentioning the support available, particularly if you work with dedicated assistants or centralised teams. That isn’t something candidates need to play down or apologise for. In many firms, working effectively within a structured team is an important part of the role.

Similarly, if you manage transactions from instruction through to completion with limited administrative support, that breadth of responsibility deserves recognition.

There may be other aspects of your experience worth highlighting too, including dealing with complex titles, handling leasehold matters, supervising colleagues or managing relationships with clients, lenders and estate agents.

The aim isn’t to produce a lengthy explanation of every task you undertake. It’s to give prospective employers an accurate picture of your experience so they can understand where your strengths lie.

After all, two people with the same job title and similar caseload numbers may have developed quite different skills over the course of their careers.

Looking beyond the numbers at Clayton Legal

At Clayton Legal, caseload numbers are certainly part of the conversation when we’re speaking to conveyancing professionals, but they’re rarely the whole story.

We’re just as interested in understanding how a candidate’s current department operates. What administrative support do they have? Are they responsible for a transaction from initial instruction through to post-completion, or do dedicated teams handle different stages? What types of files are they managing, and how much autonomy do they have?

Equally, when we’re working with law firms, we want to understand how their property departments are structured.

A conveyancer joining a smaller practice and managing transactions from start to finish may need a different skill set from somebody joining a larger team with dedicated onboarding, administrative and post-completion support.

Neither approach is necessarily better, but the differences matter when assessing whether a candidate’s experience aligns with what a firm actually needs.

There’s also the candidate’s own preference to consider. Some professionals enjoy working within a larger, more structured department, while others value the breadth of responsibility and closer involvement in each stage of a transaction that a smaller practice may offer.

Understanding those preferences can be just as important as establishing whether somebody has the technical skills to do the job.

For us, effective recruitment is about understanding both sides of that picture. It’s not simply whether somebody has managed 60, 80 or 100 files, but what managing those files has involved and how that experience translates into the opportunity they’re considering.

Finding the right fit goes beyond a number

Caseload figures will always have a place in conveyancing recruitment. They’re useful information for employers and candidates alike, and there’s no reason to dismiss them.

However, I think there’s real value in looking at the story behind those numbers.

The structure of a department, the support available, the nature of the transactions and the level of responsibility someone holds can all shape their professional experience.

For employers, understanding those differences can help make recruitment decisions more informed. For candidates, being able to explain them clearly can provide a much better picture of the skills and experience they would bring to a new position.

Ultimately, successful recruitment isn’t about finding the person with the highest caseload. It’s about understanding what a firm needs, what a candidate can offer and whether the two are the right fit.

And that’s exactly why the conversations behind the CV matter.

About Clayton Legal

At Clayton Legal, we work with law firms and legal professionals across residential and commercial property, helping employers meet their recruitment needs and candidates consider the next stage of their careers.

My own focus is on property recruitment across Merseyside and Cheshire, where I work closely with firms looking to strengthen their teams and conveyancing professionals exploring new opportunities. Alongside my colleagues, we support legal recruitment across England, drawing on our team’s knowledge of individual practice areas and regional markets.

Whether you’re recruiting for your conveyancing department, looking for a role that better suits your experience or simply interested in understanding what’s happening in the market, get in touch with me for a confidential conversation about how I can help.