As we close out 2025, it’s worth acknowledging just how far the legal and conveyancing profession has come in 12 short months. Across the many conversations I’ve had with practitioners this year, and through the thousands of workflows that move through InfoTrack systems every day, one trend stands out clearly:
With AML/CTF obligations coming into place next year under AUSTRAC’s Tranche 2, the conversation shifted for practice operations. What began as a regulatory consideration quickly became a catalyst for broader maturity, as firms look forward.
This year, we saw practitioners:
For the first time, compliance is viewed less as a burden and more as a foundation for resilience. That mindset shift will define the year ahead.
Automation continued its rapid ascent in 2025, but this year, something notable changed. It went from being a competitive advantage to simply good practice management.
Practitioners embraced intelligent workflows that reduced manual repetition and improved accuracy across:
The focus has moved beyond “using tools” to “unlocking efficiency”. Firms that adopted interconnected workflows experienced faster turnaround times, less duplication and more capacity for client-facing work.
Fraud activity became more sophisticated throughout 2025, and practitioners responded decisively. The rise of identity manipulation, social engineering and payment redirection forced firms to reassess their processes and strengthen digital protections. The Australian property market remains a target for cyber criminals and unfortunately tales of lost funds and settlement delays are still far too common.
What stood out was the profession’s resilience.
Firms layered verification, tightened controls and adopted secure digital pathways to reduce exposure.
The takeaway is clear:
Operational resilience is no longer purely a technology issue, it’s a leadership issue.
Firms that embraced this shift are entering 2026 stronger and safer.
In 2025, practitioners began to recognise the value of the data already flowing through their practices. We saw more firms using metrics to inform decisions, identify bottlenecks and understand matter trends.
While many are still early in their data journey, the momentum is undeniable.
The next step, and the opportunity for 2026, is using that insight proactively to anticipate demand, understand risk and improve client experience.
Perhaps the most impactful shift we observed this year was the industry moving away from fragmented systems. Practitioners increasingly sought integrated, secure and consistent workflows that supported the entire matter lifecycle.
Connected ecosystems are now essential for:
This consolidation marks a significant step forward for the industry’s digital maturity.
At its core, this year showed that progress is driven not by technology alone, but by the people who use it.
The firms thriving today are the ones that:
As we look ahead to 2026, the momentum is firmly with the practitioners who see technology as an enabler, one that frees them to focus on the human, strategic and advisory work that clients rely on most.
The year ahead will reward firms that build on the strong foundations set in 2025. Whether through smarter compliance practices, deeper data capability or more integrated workflows, opportunities for improvement are abundant.
At InfoTrack, we’re proud to support the profession’s ongoing evolution and excited for what the next chapter holds.
