Internet Newsletter for Lawyers |
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There are few older or more conservative industries than the property sector. There are undoubtedly those who embrace the new technology and the benefits it can bring, but many still fear it or fail to see its potential. The Government, however, is wholly committed to introducing an electronic conveyancing system, seeing improvement of our dreadful land transfer system as a vote winner. Whilst it is extremely attractive in theory, much needs to be done before it could be considered safe to adopt such a system and many years of consultation with the various arms of government lie ahead. For that consultation to be effective, all those involved need to understand the issues. What we find is a huge chasm between the IT people and the often IT illiterate property people.
It is with this background that I approached the Society for Computers and Law to set up the IT in Property Group (the "ITiPG"). It needs to be very broad-based in terms of the disciplines of its participants. Part of the challenge for the group is to educate the various factions on matters that have hitherto been alien to them, so that future consultation may be more effective. The formation of the group has been extremely well-received and so far membership includes such diverse groups as property lawyers, IT lawyers, IT and software companies, legal IT managers, Government, NLIS and the Channel Providers, PISCES (an initiative in the Commercial Property area), Land Registry, estate agencies and surveyors.
The group's first meeting was held in July and the topic for the evening was the formulation of a response to some of the issues raised in the Government's consultation paper on e-conveyancing (see www.e-conveyancing.gov.uk). Only some of the 66 questions in the consultation could be considered on that one occasion and in order to maintain the interest of the diverse group, questions were selected across a broad range of interest areas, from property law matters to technical issues relating to e-signatures and encryption technology.
I was concerned not to "lose" people at this crucial early stage but I need not have worried: whilst there was undoubtedly a lack of knowledge across disciplines, there was an even stronger desire to understand and be involved in the process of change. Though I sensed a little fear, people were delighted to have joined and to be able to both learn and contribute: this amongst a group of SCL members, many of whom were new to SCL precisely in order to be involved in the group, and so it was not only a case of preaching to the converted.
Future meetings will aim to combine cross-discipline education and exploration of new opportunities for IT in property: the next meeting, on 17th September, 6 pm for 6 30 pm (location not yet known) will hopefully address basic concepts relating to e-signatures and encryption technology. The committee is open to all suggestions for future topics and welcomes any input from members or potential members: please email maitland.kalton@kaltons.co.uk.
Maitland Kalton is Chairman of SCL's IT in Property Group (ITiPG), membership of which is open to all SCL members. He is head of e-commerce at niche property and Internet law firm, Kaltons (www.kaltons.co.uk).
Email Maitland@kaltons.co.uk
For information on SCL membership (annual membership: £85) please contact caroline.gould@scl.org.
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