What is the difference between a lawyer and a conveyancer?
A lawyer is a person who is trained to advise clients on their legal rights and obligations in a variety of circumstances, including the buying and selling of real estate and the conveyancing process. A conveyancer is a person who is licensed to assist buyers and sellers of real estate through the conveyancing process, but cannot advise on areas of law that are beyond “conveyancing work” as defined in the Conveyancers Act 2006. While a lawyer can assist the client with all legal matters associated with the sale or purchase of real estate, a conveyancer must cease to act for the client as soon as the matter moves beyond “conveyancing work”, or the client requires legal advice on areas of law which are outside of the “conveyancing work” but related to their sale or purchase. When this happens the conveyancer must refer the client to a qualified lawyer.
