PCB Logo
1 Dec 2022
A DocuSign from Heaven
We’ve received great feedback from our clients and key contacts since introducing DocuSign to our processes back in May. Some of you will have seen prior updates touting our use of this wonderful tool, bragging of our innovation and market-leading approach.

We’ve received great feedback from our clients and key contacts since introducing DocuSign to our processes back in May.

Some of you will have seen prior updates touting our use of this wonderful tool, bragging of our innovation and market-leading approach. With hindsight we should have taken a more typical lawyer approach and caveated our comments: describing DocuSign as innovative is a bit like Homer Simpson telling Marge the internet is on computers now.

Speed and efficiency

Ok, so DocuSign is not that innovative. We maintain, however, that in the legal world it is. While this may be a somewhat sad indictment of the legal industry’s sluggishness to embrace change, we celebrate the step forward. Most importantly (and for those of you already in the 21st Century, unsurprisingly) we have already seen great improvements to the efficiency and speed of transactions for our clients.

At present we use DocuSign for contract exchanges and anticipate the ability for clients to execute completion documents (technical term: Deeds (which carry a different legal status) electronically very soon. Any new clients exchanging off plan now should be able to execute their completion Deeds electronically by the time of completion.

Although in operation since 2020, now seems an appropriate opportunity to celebrate by way of official announcement other ways technology is making the legal process less cumbersome: certification of Identity documents by video call and via client’s mobile apps are now permanent features of our processes.

certification of Identity documents by video call and via client’s mobile apps are now permanent features of our processes. 

Why so long?

We were recently asked when promoting our use of DocuSign, why the legal industry can be so reluctant to embrace change? For those interested: we believe it’s because our industry is centuries old, incredibly risk-averse and an extremely mature market where no player wants to be the first to move. In any event, PCB is now catching up with the wider business world and we hope you will welcome us to the 21st Century.

This post was written by Sam Molloy

Sam was educated at the University of Sheffield as well as Griffiths University in Brisbane, Australia. He gained professional experience in London real estate before joining PCB in 2012. His specialisations include: overseas investors purchasing new and established property, real estate finance and commercial property investment work.

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