Conveyancing Association appoints Nick Chadbourne as new Non-Executive Chair

21 September 2026

The Conveyancing Association (CA), the leading representative body for the conveyancing industry, has today (21st September 2026) announced the appointment of Nick Chadbourne as its new Non-Executive Chair.

Chadbourne, who recently stepped down from conveyancing service provider, LMS, after a decade as its Chief Executive, succeeds Nicky Heathcote, who will be leaving the CA at the end of her second term as the Non-Executive Chair.

During his time at LMS, Chadbourne worked across the home-moving market with lenders, conveyancers, mortgage advisers, suppliers and panel managers, giving him a broad view of the property transaction, what its different stakeholders need and where many of the pressures and points of friction exist.

Having recently stepped away from his executive career, Chadbourne said the CA role provided an opportunity to use that cross-industry experience on behalf of the conveyancing profession as a whole.

The CA said his experience would be particularly valuable to the CA and its members at a time when the home buying and selling process is the subject of significant reform, with Chadbourne keen to ensure conveyancers have a strong and informed voice while future changes are being shaped.

As Non-Executive Chair, Chadbourne said his initial focus would be on listening to CA members and affiliates, before agreeing longer-term priorities with the CA Board.

He said the CA needed to balance its work on major industry reform with a strong focus on the everyday commercial and operational issues affecting conveyancing firms, including fee levels, caseload pressures and the loss of technical knowledge as experienced people leave the profession.

He said maintaining strong governance from the outset would also be a priority, building on the work carried out during Heathcote’s tenure

Chadbourne will take up the Chair role from the start of October, and will be attending the CA’s All Member Meeting and Networking Dinner taking place at the Liver Building in Liverpool on the 8th October.

Nick Chadbourne, Non-Executive Chair of The Conveyancing Association, commented:

"Having spent 10 years running LMS, I have had a unique view across the property transaction, working with a large number of stakeholders, including the CA and its membership, and seeing first-hand where many of the pressures and points of friction exist.

"The next few years are going to be hugely important for conveyancing and the wider home-moving market. Reform of the home buying and selling process is coming, and it is vital this happens with conveyancers rather than to them. Conveyancers need a credible and informed voice in the room while those changes are being shaped, rather than simply being brought into the conversation once decisions have already been made.

"The CA has built considerable credibility and has shown it is prepared to take a leading role in the bigger debates about how we improve the home-moving process. I want it to continue that work, but I also want to make sure we are just as focused on the practical issues our members face every day.

"Fee levels, caseload pressures, maintaining technical knowledge and the practical problems firms encounter week-in, week-out all matter, and the bigger reform agenda cannot be allowed to crowd those issues out. I want the CA to be equally trusted on the longer-term issues and the everyday ones.

"My first priority, however, is to listen. I want to speak to legal member firms and our affiliates, and understand what they think we do well, what we could do better and what they need from their representative body.

"From there, we can set our priorities and build our plans for growth and reform together, based on what members and affiliates are actually telling us. I would like to thank Nicky for her tireless work for the CA. She has achieved a huge amount during her time here and I’m looking forward to building on everything she did for the Association.”

Victoria Mortimer, on behalf of the Conveyancing Association Board, said:

“We are delighted Nick has agreed to become the new Non-Executive Chair of the CA. His experience across the conveyancing and wider property market, and the relationships he has developed, will bring an important new perspective to this work.

"This is a significant period for the conveyancing profession, both in terms of the wider reform agenda and the commercial and operational pressures we continue to face. Nick understands both sides of that equation and shares the Board's determination that the CA should provide a strong voice for its members. We look forward to working with him as he takes up the role, and to introducing him formally to members in Liverpool next month.

“Everyone on the CA Board and Executive would also like to thank Nicky for everything she has done for the Association. She has worked tremendously hard and has made a real difference; we wish her well for the future.”