In British Columbia, a notary public is a legal professional to serve the public typically in non-contentious legal matters. While notaries are not necessarily lawyers, all lawyers are also notaries public and can provide the same services that a notary public does.
Here are some examples of services a lawyer/notary public can provide:
Notarization and authentication
Notaries public provide notarization and authentication of legal documents such as government documents, travel consent, and guardianship forms. When a document requires a notary public or a commissioner for oaths to witness a signature, a lawyer/notary public can be that witness.
Estate planning
A notary public can review your will to ensure that directives are clear and compliant with provincial law. Notaries can also provide assistance with preparing a power of attorney, which is a legal document that authorizes someone to handle your legal and financial affairs in the event of incapacitation. The notary public performs a key role in the execution of a power of attorney by not only confirming the identity of the person signing but also ensuring that at the time of signing, the person was of sound mind.
Affidavit and statutory declarations
Notaries can assist with legal procedures requiring an oath, affirmation or declaration, such as witnessing an affidavit for use in Court or statutory declarations.
Health planning
Health care planning is another area in which notaries can be helpful.
You can authorize a third party to make important health care decisions. These decisions can include end-of-life care. End of life care covers life support and termination of medical. This agreement is known as a Representation Agreement. In such an arrangement, the individual who is granted control is known as the representative or agent, and the individual for whom decisions will be made is the donor or the adult. Before authorizing this individual, make sure you fully trust your representative, as this agent can be making important decisions about your health and well-being.
A lawyer/notary public can draft a Representation Agreement to prepare for various medical treatments to reduce the risk in the event that you ever face a situation where you are unable to make important decisions due to medical reasons, but this has to be done before you are ever incapacitated.
Richmond notary public
If you are searching for notarial services in Richmond, BC, contact Bernard Lau and Co. Law Corporation.
We are a boutique law firm with a strong concentration on real estate, wills, and estate matters. We also offer notary services, including notarization of legal documents such as travel consent forms, government documents, bank documents, ICBC and insurance documents, or personal documents that require legal and formal witnessing.
Our team boasts over 10 years of experience delivering efficient legal services to clients, and we would be pleased to help you. Call us at 604-285-5240 or visit our website today.
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