Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Law definition

What does Law mean? In legal practice, Law describes the body of binding rules governing parties’ rights and obligations in the relevant jurisdiction(s). It is not a single statutory or case-law definition; in contracts it is a descriptive catch‑all used to capture all sources of applicable law. Law includes: (a) any primary or secondary legislation (including regulations, statutory instruments and byelaws) in force from time to time that applies to a party or to the place the Services are provided; (b) the common law and, where applicable, equity; (c) any binding court order, judgment or decree; (d) any applicable industry code,

Law Society Residential Conveyancing Protocol 2019 (England and Wales): step-by-step workflow, solicitor obligations, enquiries limits, lender and leasehold checks, exchange/completion by Code, and post-completion registration

Published by a LexisNexis Property expert

Practice notes

The protocol (2019) presents the law Society’s preferred approach for residential conveyancing matters. Its purpose is to streamline and standardise the residential conveyancing process. The Protocol has two components:

the general solicitor obligations
the Protocol framework

Further detail is set out below.

Which transactions does the Protocol apply to?

The Protocol is designed for residential sale and purchase transactions involving an owner occupier. It is assumed that the buyer’s and seller’s solicitors will also represent their clients’ respective lenders. It is not intended for the purchase of new build homes. Solicitors accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) must follow the Protocol, subject to certain exceptions, such as client instructions and changes in the law. Conveyancers who are not CQS accredited are not required to use the Protocol, although it is regarded as best practice. Ideally, both parties to a transaction will agree to adopt the Protocol, but one party may still use it even if the other has not agreed to do so...

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Russell Hewitson

Northumbria University

Russell Hewitson is a solicitor and associate professor of law at Northumbria University. He is Law Society Council member for commercial property and a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing and Land Law Committee. Russell is the Consultant Editor of Halsbury’s Laws of England Volume 23 - Conveyancing. He is general editor of Precedents for the Conveyancer, Practical Lease Precedents, and Practical Conveyancing Precedents, consultant editor of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Handbook and has written a number of other books including Conveyancing Searches and Enquiries, Licensing Law Handbook, Residential Conveyancing Practice and Business Tenancies. He is also the Practice and Precedents Editor of The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer. ...

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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