Maria Trantie began her career in conveyancing while studying for her law degree. Wanting to be in the best position to secure a job after she graduated, she volunteered with a law firm as a paralegal and fell in love with property law. Now, four and a half years later, she is a property lawyer at Cavendish and channelling her desire to help people into her own clients’ cases.
Maria first came across Cavendish when she was looking for a local firm to work for. Only half an hour’s walk away from her home, it ticked all the boxes; but it was also the chance to manage her caseload in a supportive environment that really attracted her to Cavendish.
“The company culture is really nice and really friendly. It’s a very healthy environment to work in, which I love because I’ve had the opposite experience elsewhere. In the past I’ve worked for companies where the culture was all about quantity over quality, which does not align with my personal values, and I felt really underappreciated too.
“I love what I do, but if the work environment isn’t healthy, it can make the role quite stressful. You want to feel appreciated for your work and feel like you can get along well with your colleagues. I can do that at Cavendish.”
This sense of support that Maria receives at Cavendish is exactly what she wants to provide for her clients. “I love helping people. I know that buying or selling a house is a stressful process. For some of them, it’s their first home. And even if it’s not, it’s a big investment – financially and emotionally. It’s so rewarding when a client is thankful, satisfied and able to give you good feedback. You get to be a part of the next chapter for them, and that’s amazing.”
Maria has also been encouraged to take on more responsibility and train to become a qualified solicitor. “As soon as I passed my probation and I was eligible for funding for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), I applied and successfully had that granted.” Cavendish is currently supporting Maria through her preparation course and exams, providing the funding and a flexible approach in the office to help her balance her work and part-time study.
Her progress with the SQE highlights that it has been a very successful first year at Cavendish. “The last year has been a whirlwind, but it has been really rewarding. I’ve received so much positive feedback from my clients, and in the office, we also have a Champion of the Month award which I have been lucky enough to receive a few times. It’s been nice – I’ve felt seen.”
Technology hasn’t always been integral to Maria’s day-to-day as a conveyancer, but it now plays a big part in how she ensures transactions are successful behind the scenes. “The systems I’ve worked with in previous firms were very basic and you had to have additional lists to remind yourself where you’d got to or what the next step was. Having an automated CRM takes a lot of the administrative burden off and it’s an impressive tool to work with. It’s almost like having another assistant on top of your actual assistant.”
With the help of technology, the conveyancing teams at Cavendish and across the Movera brands can turn their attention to how best to meet a client’s needs; but Maria stresses how vital it is to also incorporate a ‘human touch’ into every exchange.
“If you learn the steps, then you can get from point A to point B easily. But it’s the ability to put yourself into these people’s shoes that makes all the difference.
“If you’re looking to get into conveyancing, I’d say it starts with being empathetic. It’s not just a case of pressing a button, you need to add a human touch. We can all learn a task, but not everybody manages to go that extra mile. I don’t think it involves a particular method or secret either: it’s just about being human – being yourself.”