The University of Essex and WS Strategic Limited KTP 24_25 R2

A conveyancing solicitor will soon be able to upload a client’s email, a photo of a property boundary dispute, and a video of a damp wall into a single AI system that then explains, in plain language, what each piece of evidence means for the legal process. Currently, conveyancing—the legal transfer of property ownership—relies on solicitors manually sifting through free text, images, videos, and audio recordings, often switching between separate software tools. This is slow, error-prone, and expensive for homebuyers. The project aims to build an Explainable AI (XAI) system that accepts all these formats at once and produces transparent, auditable reasoning for its conclusions. Unlike a “black box” AI, this system must justify its decisions, which is critical for legal accountability. If successful, the tool could cut weeks from property transactions and reduce the risk of missed defects or boundary issues. It would not replace the solicitor but act as a reliable assistant, flagging inconsistencies and summarising evidence. The impact is squarely on the conveyancing process itself—a mundane but high-stakes part of everyday life that currently frustrates millions of homebuyers each year.