What does a Notary do?
22/04/2010
Many notaries do work for commercial firms engaged in international trade, and for private individuals. The most common tasks are:
- Preparing and witnessing a power of attorney ("PoA") for use overseas
- Dealing with a PoA to buy or sell land and property abroad
- Providing documents to deal with the administration of the estate of people who are abroad, or who own property abroad
- Authenticating personal documents and information for immigration or emigration purposes, or to apply to marry or to work abroad
- Authenticating company and business documents and transactions
What else can Notaries do?
The notary can act in that capacity to provide the sort of services already described, but he can also provide authentication and a secure record for almost any sort of transaction, document or event.
Also as a member of the oldest legal profession in England and Wales, a notary can do any form of legal work for you except for taking cases to court.
The notary is mentioned in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" Act I Scene iii 141:
"Go with me to the Notary; seal me there your single bond"
Most notaries are also solicitors and do their general legal work in that capacity and under the regulation of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. A few (including the Scrivener notaries in London) practice only as notaries doing commercial and property work (including conveyancing) and family and private client work (including wills, probate and the administration of estates).