Casal Conveyancing: A second set of eyes on every contract

More than 20 years in south west legal firms. A family-run office in Portland. Casal Conveyancing brings both to every matter, guiding buyers and sellers across Portland and the South West of Victoria with fixed-fee conveyancing and clear, personal advice. Cassie McMillan leads the firm alongside her sons, Jesse and Tadhg, and in 2026 she was named one of the AIC Practice Excellence (Regional) award winners. So when Cassie wanted a second check on every contract, she turned to Curia.

The challenge

Before Curia, every contract review at Casal Conveyancing took around 60 minutes. The time was only part of the cost.

Each review carried its own weight: the worry that a detail had slipped through, and the knowledge that a client was relying on that advice for one of the biggest decisions of their life. Many of the firm's clients are first home buyers, for whom a contract of sale and Section 32 vendor statement can be daunting. As principal, Cassie completes many of the reviews herself and is the final check on those prepared by her team, so responsibility for getting every detail right, and explaining it clearly, ultimately sits with her. That mental load did not end when the review did.

The solution

Cassie knew exactly what she wanted. In her words, "a back up review of Contracts, like a second set of eyes running over the Contract." Not a tool to make the calls for her, but one that would read the contract alongside her and her team.

Curia fit that brief. It extracts data from the contract documents, maps every section, cross-checks details across documents and builds the review, while the conveyancer keeps control of every piece of advice that reaches the client.

The implementation

What surprised Cassie most in her first month was how easy the platform was to use, and that she could "still amend anything I need to in the review."

The main adjustment was learning how to shape each review: what to change, and how to add the extra information her clients need. Once that was in place, the firm had a report built around its own advice and written for the clients who need clarity most, first home buyers among them. She rates Curia's support 5 out of 5.

A second set of eyes, every time

Curia now works through every contract alongside Cassie and her team. When a team member completes a review, Cassie can double check it and adjust where needed before it goes to the client. Asked how she would describe it to a colleague over coffee, her answer matched exactly what she set out to find: "A great back up for reviews of Contracts, and working companion for referencing the Contract."

Reports clients understand

Visual Reference is the feature Cassie values most. The team captures plans and diagrams straight from the contract pages, marks them up and places them in the report beside the advice. Her clients have noticed: "Clients feel like they get a more thorough review of the Contract. Everything is pointed out with pictures for them to refer to in the Contract. Clients have found it easier to understand what they are signing."

Confident first home buyers

One recent matter shows the difference. A nervous first home buyer received their report from Casal Conveyancing ahead of their appointment. By the time they arrived, their answers were sorted and their remaining questions were ready to go. They told the team they felt more confident they understood everything in the contract. As Cassie puts it, "anything that they thought they needed to have a look into was already sorted before they came into our office."

Answers at her fingertips

Curia maps every section of the contract, and that has changed how the team handles client questions. Being able to "flick to the section you need to look at quickly and easily has made it easier to find details when answering client questions or referring to specific parts of the contract."

Faster reviews

Average contract review time has dropped from 60 minutes before Curia to 45 minutes with it, a 25% reduction on every contract.

Looking ahead

Curia is now part of how Casal Conveyancing works. Without it, Cassie says, "Contract reviews would take longer, and would make the work load harder to manage."

The time and headspace it returns go where they matter most: "Spending more time with family, and being able to stop my mind from wondering whether I have covered everything I need to in my reviews."

For a firm that welcomes every client as part of the family, it is a fitting result. Thorough reports, confident clients, and more time with her own.