On 24 May 2011 the European Court of Justice held that it was not lawful to restrict work undertaken by a Notary Public in an EU country to the notaries qualified from that country.  The decision removes the nationality restriction which had been in place for more than 50 years.

The implication of this decision for the notary industry is that this opens the European market in a manner which reflects one of the core principals of the European Union, namely free movement of workers.  The decision should be viewed as good news for notary clients as it suggests that in the medium to long term the profession will undergo a revolution which will see Notary Publics of different nationalities competing for business to the benefit of notary clients.  Whilst it would be unrealistic to expect that this will have an immediate impact on the market it does mean that notary practices may now target both markets and work which previously would have been restricted to them.

Matthew Pryke commenting on the decision explained, “The decision of the European Court of Justice is both correct and overdue.  There are a number of notaries within the UK who have been arguing for some time for this decision and therefore represents a positive culmination of their efforts.  In particular I believe London Notary Public Mark Kober-Smith deserves particular mention for the active interest, instigation and promotion of this matter which he has undertaken.”

Matthew Pryke’s Notary Public London practice will continue to maintain an active role in the promotion and development of the Notaries profession throughout Europe from its offices in London’s West End.  For further details regarding this decision and also the manner in which notary publics are able to operate within the UK please refer to the website at www.mdpryke-notary.com.

Notary Public in London business, MD Pryke Notary Public LLP, is proud to announce that this week they received their 1000^th new client.  Notary practice director Matthew Pryke was delighted at passing such a significant milestone.

‘London presents a very competitive market in which to operate a Notary Public service’, says Matthew.  ‘It is vital that as a business focused Notary practice based in central London, we match the pace and intensity of the corporate clients we serve.

‘Of course, a London Notary Practice such as ours thrives on repeat business from clients who value our level of service, our competitive pricing structure and our forensic attention to detail on every transaction.  To pass the 1000 mark for new clients remains a significant achievement however, and it reflects the intelligence and hard work of the MD Pryke Notary Public LLP team who go to such great lengths to ensure that every notarial transaction is completed swiftly and efficiently, and with the absolute minimum of fuss.

‘Whether my staff are advising clients on legalisation matters, apostille work, power of attorney issues or our free deed poll service; their diligence and common sense approach is unparalleled.’

For further details of how this Notary London practice can service your Notarial requirements, please contact us on 0207 6364422, or via our website.

Previous Notary Public London Guides to Powers of Attorney have covered the concept of Power of Attorney (part 1) and Lasting versus Enduring Power of Attorney (part 2).  This Notary Public London guide will tackle the role of the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and the Court of Protection (COP).

What is the OPG?

The Office of the Public Guardian is an agency of the Ministry of Justice.  It was established in 2007 to replace the Public Guardianship office, the former administrative arm of the Court of Protection.  It is based in North London and its remit is as follows:

• The regulation and supervision of Court appointed deputies.
• To work with other agencies should suspicions be aroused that a POA has been granted to a party who is subsequently abusing this privilege.
• To provide information on mental capacity to the public, health workers, and legal professionals such as a Notary Public in London.

What is the COP?

The Court of Protection makes decisions on the affairs, property, welfare and healthcare of people who lack the mental capacity to operate for themselves.  It is a superior Court of Record; therefore it has powers similar to the High Court and can set precedent for future cases.  Any Notary Public in London will be aware of the COP’s remit which is to:

• Decide if an EPA or LPA is valid.
• Remove appointed Attorney’s who neglect or abuse their positions.
• Hear cases relating to any objection to an LPA.
• Appoint deputies.
• Make decisions for people who lack capacity.
• Decide whether a person is capable of conducting their own affairs.

For a more in depth analysis of any of the points covered here, or for further information regarding the Notary Public London Guides, please contact MD Pryke Notary Public LLP.

London is one of the key trade centres of Europe.  As you might expect in such a business focused city, there are plenty of options available when choosing a Notary Public.  Which Notary Public in London, however, will best suit your requirements?

This is a brief guide to selecting a Notary Public in London.

Client Base

A Notary Public should be able to provide a brief list of clients for whom they undertake matters on a regular basis.  Notary Public services vary widely and as with any business relationship, it is important to find a Notary Public who understands your needs and can demonstrate a client base that operates in a similar field to your own.

Location

A Central London location is essential for any London Notary Public.   They don’t have to be on your doorstep, however, as a good Notary Public will have an extensive courier network.  Therefore a Notary in W1 will have broadly the same catchment area as a Notary in Mayfair, or a Notary in Westminster.

Out of hours service

Many businesses in London will hold interests on several continents, and a London Notary Public in tune with the pace and requirements of corporations will provide an out of hours service.

Same day service

Always ask your prospective Notary Public whether they can provide a same day service.  A Notary Public in London should be able to provide a same day service on the overwhelming majority matters they undertake.

For further details on any aspect of our Notary Public in London service, please contact us via email or call on 0207 636 4422.  Alternatively, view our YouTube channel.

Legalisation  

Notarised documents often require legalisation to ensure they are accepted in the country where they are to be used. London Notary clients will often be familiar with the sometimes time consuming process of legalising documents for particular countries.

Apostille – A Quicker Legalisation Solution?

The use of an Apostille is an effective way of legalising documents for a number of countries. Our London Notary Public practice can obtain an Apostille from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office legalisation office in the same business day. This provides a fast and cost effective legalisation solution to our London Notary clients and is in keeping with the same day notarisation services offered by this Notary Public in London.    

Apostille – New Countries

London Notary Public practice M D Pryke Notary Public LLP is pleased to confirm that the following countries have recently acceded to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, with the benefit that it removes the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents:

1. Cape Verde on 13^th February 2010.

2. Dominican Republic on 30^th August 2009.

3. Mongolia on 31^st December 2009.

In addition, the Hague Convention will enter into force for Peru on the scheduled date of 30^th September 2010. To view a current status table of the Hague Convention please visit the following website www.hcch.net.

London Notary Public Comment

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke welcomes the news, “The introduction of more countries to the Hague Convention is great news. The legalisation process used by our London Notary practice to obtain Apostilles is very fast and efficient offering excellent value for money. This means that Notary clients receive legalised documents back more quickly without the need to meet additional legalisation criteria at any of London’s consulates and embassies. Whilst we continue to offer a complete legalisation service to all of our notary clients for every country any changes which make the process quicker is always well received by our notary public practice based in Mayfair, London and its many client’s.”

For further information about the legalisation services offered by this Notary Public in London please refer to http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/londonnotarypublicservices/

A Deed Poll is a document used for legally changing name.  Whatever the reason for a name change (changing a surname after divorce for example, or changing a first name) it can be completed free of charge by using an MD Pryke Notary Public LLP Deed Poll form as laid out below.

A Deed Poll is a term with which most people are familiar.  If they are intent on a new name people believe they must visit a Solicitor or a Notary Public to change name legally by Deed Poll.  A legal name change, however, is a simple process and can be completed free of charge in three easy steps.

Free name change step 1.

Download a free Deed Poll here

Free name change step 2.

Simply open the Deed Poll thumbnail and follow the instructions written in red.  You must delete the red writing and replace it as per the Deed Poll instructions.

Free name change step 3.

Once you have filled in the Deed poll, you must sign it and get it witnessed by an independent third party as per the instructions on the Deed Poll.

Once your Deed Poll is filled out correctly, you have now changed your name by Deed Poll.

Your name change is now 100% legal – KEEP THE DOCUMENT IN A SAFE PLACE!

Should anyone question your new name, this completed Deed Poll certificate will verify your change of identity.  To change your name on a Passport, government document, etc, you will need to present either your original Deed Poll or an official certified copy.

For further information on our free legal name change Deed Poll, or on any of our Notary Public Services please contact Matthew on 0207 6364422.

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke will shortly be undertaking a 191 mile Paris to London cycle ride.  This Notary Public in London is undertaking the charity ride in an effort to raise much needed funds for Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood.  So far his London Notaries Public practice has helped to raise in excess of £30,000 which will provide fantastic support for this very important charity.  The event is kindly being sponsored by WPP and Hammonds LLP which has allowed all of the funds raised to go directly to the charity. Matthew Pryke would like to thank many of his notary clients who have been so very generous in making donations to this wonderful cause.  London Notary Public Matthew Pryke explains “Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood is a wonderful charity and I am delighted that we have been able to assist in raising some much needed funds via our London Notary practice. Just the small matter of cycling the distance now! ”

Andy Goodman, who is organising the event on behalf of the charity explains “So far we have raised well in excess of £30,000, which is absolutely fantastic, but let’s see if we can take it a stage further.”  Matthew Pryke and a team of 33 riders will be leaving Paris on the morning of Friday 23rd July and travelling over 3 days back to London arriving in Hampton Court on Sunday afternoon.  Further articles will follow to provide progress reports on how Matthew and the rest of the team cope with this challenge.

Should you wish to make a donation please refer to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mattpryke or alternatively if you would like further information about this London Notary Public practice or Matthew Pryke please refer to the website www.mdpryke-notary.com.

States that accept the official apostille certificate

The Hague Convention of Jan 1965 decreed that some documents used in foreign states would no longer require further legalisation provided that they had an Apostille certificate attached.  Some countries, however, will still require further legalisation such as China and India amongst others.

This is the second in a series of free articles from MD Pryke Notary Public LLP detailing all aspects of the Apostille process.

Article 1 entitled ‘Apostilles – a brief guide’ dealt with: The need for an Apostille Certificate, the information contained on an Apostille Certificate, and why some countries do not accept them.

Apostille Certificates are accepted by the following states at the time of publishing.

Countries not listed below may still accept an Apostille but often require further legalisation.

A

Albania Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Austria Australia Azerbaijan

B
Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Bosnia Botswana Brunei Bulgaria

C

China Colombia Cook Islands Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic

D
Denmark Dominica Dominican Republic

E
Ecuador El Salvador Estonia

F
Fiji Finland France

G
Georgia Germany Greece Grenada

H
Honduras Hong Kong Hungary

I
Iceland India Ireland Israel Italy

J
Japan

K
Kazakhstan Korea

L
Latvia Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg

M
Malawi Macedonia Malta Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Monaco Moldova Mongolia Montenegro

N
Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Norway

P
Panama Poland Portugal

R
Romania Russian Federation

S
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Serbia Seychelles Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Swaziland Sweden Switzerland

T
Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Turkey

U
Ukraine United Kingdom USA

V
Vanuatu Venezuela

For further information on any aspect of the Apostille process, please contact MD Pryke Notary Public LLP on 0207 636 4422.  Apostille Certificates form a central part of our London Notary service and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

As a UK Notary in London, I am often contacted by US citizens requesting a notarial service such as legalising a document, witnessing a document or issuing an apostille.

A UK Notary Public greatly differs from a US Notary however, so at M D Pryke Notary Public LLP we have decided to produce a series of articles illustrating the difference between US and UK Notary services.

1. Notaries Public Status

US Notaries are not regarded as a public authority.

A UK Notary is deemed to be a public official. Therefore, documents which have been notarized by a UK Notary Public can subsequently be legalised.  This process of legalisation is completed by the Foreign and Commonwealth office adding an apostille, or, alternatively, through various UK embassies.

2. Notary qualifications

In the United States of America, a Notary does not have to be legally qualified.  A US Notary may purchase their entitlement for a limited period.

A Notary Public in the UK is most often a lawyer too.  It is technically possible to qualify as a UK Notary without being, say, a Solicitor or Barrister, but one must sit an extensive series of examinations at considerable expense.

3. Notarial Commissions

In the United States a notary will pay a fee to practice for a predetermined length of time.  This period is referred to as the ‘commission’. For this reason, all US Notaries must include a reference to the expiry date of their commission.

British Notaries are qualified for an indefinite period.  Although English Notaries Public are issued with annual practicing certificates by their governing body, the Faculty Office, they are effectively a Notary for life.

To avoid any potential miscommunication, at M D Pryke Notary Public we include the phrase ‘my commission expires with life’ on all notarised documents pertaining to the United States.

For further information on the differences between UK Notaries and their North American counterparts please see other articles in this series, or alternatively contact us through the usual channels.

London Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public would like to inform all of its clients that on Thursday 26 November 2009, the Legalisation Offices of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be closed.  London Notaries practice M D Pryke Notary Public will therefore provide the usual same day legalisation service from Friday 27^th November 2009.  

London Notaries practice owner Matthew Pryke explains “We understand the Legalisation Office is closed for staff training on 26^th November.  This is unfortunate and as a consequence we will not be able to process legalisation requirements for our London Notaries clients until 27^th November 2009.  However from the 27^th November 2009 and onwards my London Notaries practice will continue to provide a same day service for any Apostille and other legalisation requirements.“ 

Matthew’s London Notaries practice provides a complete range of legalisation solutions and legalisation tips for its London Notary clients for further information please refer to the recent legalisation tips article http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/2009/10/notary-public%20legalisation-tips/

For further information about the Legalisation Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a range of options to obtain an Apostille or other legalisation certificates and stamps please contact London Notary Matthew Pryke at his London Notaries practice website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/.