Fiduciary Services

Notaries are specifically authorised to carry out certain Reserved Activities under the Legal Services Act 2007 and can do any form of legal work except any contentious matter or taking cases to court.

Notaries are the oldest branch of the legal profession in England and Wales. Historical accounts record that one of the first legal conveyances in this country involved the grant of land by King Edward the Confessor to the Abbot of Westminster and was witnessed by Swardius – a papal notary. The Archbishop of Canterbury appointed notaries on papal authority until 1533, after which appointments were made by the Archbishop of Canterbury with the authority of the Parliament.

Often notaries are often also qualified as solicitors, but must undergo further qualification in Roman Law, Private International Law and Notarial Practice to qualify separately as a notary.

Using a notary is never a mere rubber-stamping exercise. The international duty of a notary involves a high standard of care. This is not only towards the client but also to anyone who may rely on the document and to Governments or officials of other countries. These people are entitled to assume that a notary will ensure full compliance with the relevant requirements both here and abroad; and to rely on the notary’s register and records. Great care and due diligence is essential at every stage to minimise the risks of errors, omissions, alterations, fraud, forgery, money laundering, the use of false identity, and so on.

The main role of a Notary is to witness signatures, prepare copies of paperwork and the authentication of documents

Notaries and solicitors can both provide legal services, but notary services are a specific part of the legal profession.  A notary public is typically a solicitor that has taken another qualification to become a notary public.