Lesley Malpas Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Land administration and registration legal specialist available for select international specialist roles.

United Kingdom

Developed options for fractional ownership of land in the UK and overseas using tokens and smart contracts. Working as part of a small team of specialists, developed a standard operating procedure for creating fractional interests in land and advised on complex land registration practice and legal issues.

Sint Maarten

Authored legal content for a land registration manual, including complex Dutch civil law, mapping and land registration practice. Reviewed existing processes and procedures on site with frontline caseworkers, IT professionals and the Land Registrar. Held discussions on site with a notary to test assumptions and encourage buy-in. The land registration manual sets out the kadaster’s processes and procedures and is a guide for the public and the government in the day-to-day administration of land and property rights in Sint Maarten.

United Kingdom

Senior leadership role leading a team of specialist corporate and commercial lawyers. Responsible for providing expert legal advice to the Executive Board and internal departments. Specialist areas of work included advising on and managing multi-million-pound contracts, providing expert legal advice to the Chief Land Registrar's office on corporate governance issues.Represented Her Majesty’s Land Registry as a member of a cross-government project developing a uniform data-sharing process for government departments. As a line manager, dealt with several unusually sensitive personnel issues providing expert employment legal advice to Human Resources. Restructured an established but inefficient team by designing and introducing an electronic management system to manage the team’s work tasks and support operational delivery. Identified poor communication between internal departments, engaged with the senior leaders concerned to understand their needs as internal customers and developed a focused strategy for meeting their requirements. Member of a Covid-19 crisis response team, using 15 years’ experience developing electronic services in Her Majesty’s Land Registry, advised the team on changes to land registration practice and application processing that would enable the organisation to accept without risk for registration deeds that have been signed using electronic signatures.

United Kingdom

Provided expert legal advice as a member of a multi-disciplinary team developing a new electronic service known as the electronic Document Registration Service (e-DRS) enabling customers to submit applications electronically using a web-based portal. Played a leading role in developing a process for accepting scanned copies of documents with applications in place of original documents transforming how registration applications were submitted, encouraging external customers to change from a paper-based system to an electronic system.Advised on training materials for internal staff. Prepared terms of use for Business Gateway and e-DRS and provided day-to-day support to the Customer Support Centre processing applications by customers signing up for the new services. Provided legal support for research and development activities known as Digital Street, advising, and preparing novel legal documents including non-disclosure agreements for community engagement, hackathons, and collaboration events. Regularly provided expert advice on Data Protection and Freedom of Information issues with frequent engagement with the Information Commissioner’s Office including preparing formal responses to complaints that were either dismissed by the Information Commissioner or formed part of a formal published Decision of the Information Commissioner’s Office.Elected as representative for the Lawyers Section of the recognised trade union for senior professionals and managers in public service (FDA) on its National Executive Committee, represented members views and was involved in strategy and policy decisions affecting public servants.

United Kingdom

Provided expert legal, land registration practice and policy advice on more than ten projects within the electronic conveyancing business transformation programme. Provided expert legal advice as a member of multi-disciplinary teams developing new electronic services including the electronic discharge (e-DS1) (enabling the discharge of registered charges electronically), the first digital mortgage in England and Wales (the electronic charge in standard form) and electronic information services for searching and obtaining copies of land registers and documents referred to in the land register electronically.Advised external contractors based in India on statutory requirements for new services. Provided expert legal and strategically focused advice on the development of a separate gateway for business customers (known as Business Gateway) to make high volumes of applications electronically using case management systems. Developed new practice for accepting certificates by property professionals in place of submitting documents in support of electronic applications including on change of name, death of a property owner and applications to protect interests in the register such as restrictions and notices. This facilitated electronic automation of these applications.Prepared legal documents for electronic transactions. Advised on the content of training materials for internal staff enabling them to process applications received electronically. Attended seminars and presentations to property professionals introducing the key elements of new electronic services influencing service take up.

United Kingdom

Member of a dedicated specialist legal team tasked with review and resolution of the most complex and contentious land registration applications. Dealt with protracted complaints, negotiated settlements, working one-to-one with often litigious complainants, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Ombudsman). Attended arbitration meetings influencing dispute settlements, agreeing high value compensation claims.Arranged hearings of unresolved disputes before the Solicitor to Her Majesty’s Land Registry and his deputies. Attended site visits before hearings with the parties. Acted as hearings clerk managing the proceedings but also facilitating negotiations between the parties and their legal representatives. Recorded agreed settlements in consent orders for signature by the Solicitor.Developed a new process for arranging hearings, reducing the time it took to hold hearings and increasing the number of cases heard each month, significantly reducing the backlog and meeting customer expectations for swift resolution. Negotiated and settled high value claims for compensation because of errors in the land register (including cases of fraud).

United Kingdom

Provided expert impartial legal advice on land law and land registration applications to caseworkers at all levels, ensuring accurate recording of land and property transactions in the land register. Provided procedural advice, guidance and support to unrepresented external customers and property professionals. Dealt with complex legal issues relating to registration fraud, objections and disputes, often resolving disputed applications and making risk-based decisions daily.Managed and provided mentoring and coaching to a team of senior caseworkers. Prepared and delivered internal and external training on land registration topics and coached and mentored internal staff.Developed a working partnership between previous employer’s mapping team (Leicester City Council) and Her Majesty’s Land Registry for the processing of complex applications affecting large areas of land using modern mapping techniques, simplifying the application process. Prepared a detailed people management portfolio resulting in Investors in People accreditation for the Leicester Office.

United Kingdom

Managed a team of legal executives, responsible for the delivery of legal services relating to acquisitions and disposals of land and property by the City Council and the statutory Right to Buy process. Provided expert advice to internal departments on legal issues relating to housing, planning, highways, and the Council’s extensive land and property portfolio.Regularly provided expert advice to elected councillors responding to complaints by members of the public. Prepared and delivered internal and external training and responsible for transforming the Right to Buy process (which allows council tenants to purchase their properties) making it quicker and simpler. An active member of the Council’s diversity group and proactively encouraged colleagues to aspire to new roles within the organisation to support culture change.

United Kingdom

Managed a branch office of the firm, responsible for all day-to-day activities. Responsibilities included managing members of staff and dealing with a broad range of non-contentious and contentious legal matters including complex commercial acquisitions and leases, sale and purchase of domestic land and property, company formations, planning advice, personal injury claims, and debt recovery.

United Kingdom

Responsible for a broad range of commercial and residential conveyancing transactions, sales and purchases of land and property, advising on legal issues relating to registered and unregistered land. Dealt with preparation and completion of mortgage applications acting for the local borough council.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Business Administration And Management, General

Solicitors Final Examination, Law

Fellow Of The Institute Of Legal Executives, Law